Former President Donald Trump (R) stated on his social media app, Truth Social, that he would free former Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich from Russian prison immediately and “for no compensation.” He also demanded the Wall Street Journal to “stop being stupid.”
“Wall Street Journal Reporter Evan Gershkovich was just sentenced to 16 years in prison by a Russian Court. Biden will NEVER GET HIM OUT, unless he pays a ‘king’s ransom.’ I will get him out FOR NO COMPENSATION immediately following our victory on November 5th, and it will be my great honor to do so. Vote for TRUMP, and The Wall Street Journal should STOP BEING STUPID!!!!” said President Trump.
In March of 2023, American WSJ reporter Evan Gershkovich was detained and eventually arrested by the Russian government on the charge of espionage. According to the news outlet, this is the first time an espionage case has been brought to an overseas reporter since the Cold War.
Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-LA) responded on Thursday as well after he was sentenced to 16 years in Russian prison.
For 478 days, Evan Gershkovich’s wrongful detention in Russia has demonstrated the cruelty of Vladimir Putin’s thuggish rule. Evan’s unjust sentence in a sham trial is a further reminder that attacks on the free press, hostage-taking, and hostility to America have been core…
— Speaker Mike Johnson (@SpeakerJohnson) July 19, 2024
“For 478 days, Evan Gershkovich’s wrongful detention in Russia has demonstrated the cruelty of Vladimir Putin’s thuggish rule. Evan’s unjust sentence in a sham trial is a further reminder that attacks on the free press, hostage-taking, and hostility to America have been core facets of Russian statecraft for decades. Journalism is not a crime, and reporters will continue to pursue the truth and hold the Kremlin to account. Once again, we call on the Russian government to release Evan, along with Paul Whelan and others wrongfully detained.”
In May of this year, Representative Brian Mast (R-FL) urged President Joe Biden (D) and his administration to provide Congress with a classified briefing on the number of Americans detained in Russia by President Vladimir Putin, as well as a plan to bring them home.
“The United States government has an obligation to protect ALL Americans. Right now it’s estimated there are dozens of Americans detained in Russia, but still it’s unclear if that is an exact number,” said Rep. Mast. “Despite that reality, Joe Biden’s State Department won’t clarify exactly how many Americans are unfairly imprisoned in Russia. The State Department claims the information changes daily, but that’s not a good enough answer.”
This is a developing story.
