Biden Speaks To Brittney Griner's Wife Cherelle: He's Pursuing 'Every Avenue' To Bring WNBA Star Home From Russia

Zinger Key Points
  • Following a personal letter from Griner in a Russian prison and her wife's CBS appearance, Biden finally responds.
  • Biden says he's taking action to secure Brittney Griner's return to the U.S.

Cherelle Griner released a statement Wednesday following a phone call with President Joe Biden and VP Kamala Harris saying, "I am grateful to the both of them for the time they spent with me and for the commitment they expressed to getting BG home."

Cherelle Griner had been seeking a meeting or some form of relevant contact with the White House since her WNBA superstar wife was arrested at a Moscow airport on February 17 for allegedly having cannabis oil in her suitcase.

Following Monday’s direct, if frustrated, plea to Biden on "CBS Mornings" with Gayle King, Cherelle Griner finally got a direct response from the President.

In a statement shared with various media outlets, the White House said that Biden and Harris called Cherelle Griner on Wednesday to reassure her that they're working to bring Brittney safely home from Russia. 

"The President called Cherelle to reassure her that he is working to secure Brittney's release as soon as possible, as well as the release of Paul Whelan and other U.S. nationals who are wrongfully detained or held hostage in Russia and around the world," the statement read. "He also read her a draft of the letter the President is sending to Brittney Griner today." 

The call came after the two-time Olympic gold medalist hand-wrote Biden a letter that was delivered to the White House on the 4th of July in which Griner pleaded with the President to help free her and other Americans and that she was terrified of being stuck in Russia forever.

According to the White House statement Biden also "offered his support" to Brittney's family and "committed to ensuring they are provided with all possible assistance while his administration pursues every avenue to bring Brittney home."

Griner’s trial began on July 1 and is expected to resume on July 7 in a Moscow court. 

Biden photo by David Lienemann on Wiki Commons, Griner from Wikipedia

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