Former President, Donald Trump, has targeted President Joe Biden with criticism, this time over the recent historic prisoner exchange with Russia.

What Happened: Trump used the detention of Americans Evan Gershkovich and Paul Whelan in Russia as a point of attack against Biden, accusing him of failing to secure their release, especially during his reelection campaign. Trump’s criticism persisted even after Thursday’s prisoner swap, which resulted in the liberation of these men and two other U.S. prisoners, reported ABC News.

White House officials have clarified that the deal did not involve a cash exchange. However, Trump, in a post on Truth Social, questioned this claim without providing any specific details. He has previously made unverified claims that the U.S. has given Iran billions of dollars in cash.

Reacting to Trump’s repeated assertions that he could have secured the hostages’ release without any concessions, Biden responded, “Why didn’t he do it when he was president?”

Secretary of State Anthony Blinken shared a post on X, featuring a phone call with the released prisoners from his official plane. “We are so happy that you’re out and on the way home,” he said.

The president also shared some posts on X, one where he was seen engaging with the families of the former Russian prisoners and another where she shared their group photo on the plane back home. He said they endured “unimaginable suffering.”

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Why It Matters: Trump’s remarks about the detained Americans have been part of a continuous exchange dating back to his term in office. This has occasionally drawn criticism from the hostages’ family members, who have expressed disappointment over Trump’s inaction during his presidency.

Trump did not comment on Gershkovich’s situation until an April 12, 2024 interview with Time Magazine, more than a year after his March 29, 2023 arrest. In a May Truth Social post, Trump claimed Gershkovich “will be released almost immediately after the Election, but definitely before I assume Office.”

The recent prisoner exchange with Russia has been a significant event, with the release of 16 individuals, including Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich and former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan, as reported by Benzinga. Some of these individuals were collaborators with Alexey Navalny in his fight against corruption, as stated by Vice President Kamala Harris in a post.

However, the exchange has also sparked controversy, with senators demanding the inclusion of Pennsylvania's Marc Fogel, who is imprisoned in Russia for cannabis possession, in the deal.

Photo Courtesy: Shutterstock.com

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This story was generated using Benzinga Neuro and edited by Shivdeep Dhaliwal