White Home Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre did struggle with Fox Information reporter Peter Doocy over a prisoner trade involving WNBA famous person Brittney Griner and a Russian palms seller.

Conservatives have maligned the swap, which returns Griner to the US after she was once detained in Russia in February for possessing not up to a gram of hash oil. In alternate, Russia received Viktor Bout, who used to be convicted in the U.S. in 2011 for conspiring to kill U.S. citizens.

Right through Thursday’s briefing, Doocy grilled Jean-Pierre over the improvement.

“On this prisoner swap, why did Russia get this type of better deal?” the Fox News White Home correspondent asked.

“right Here have been our selections,” she answered. “Our picks [were] Brittney or nobody at all, bringing dwelling one American or no American at all. And that’s–”

“And so they gave up a qualified athlete,” Doocy interrupted. “We gave up a prolific fingers dealer who used to be convicted of looking to kill Americans, who is known as the ‘Merchant of Death.’”

“The ‘professional athlete’ is also an American citizen,” Jean-Pierre shot back. “So let’s no longer omit that.”

Doocy stated that Paul Whelan, who is in Russian custody, is also an American citizen. Whelan is in jail in Russia for allegedly spying.

“I’ve been very clear on that,” she responded. “We’ve laid that out for you. And once more, the president felt that this was once a chance to convey Brittney home. He is going to continue to do the whole thing he can to bring Paul Whelan dwelling just like he did with Trevor Reed.”

“How are you going to say that he’s gonna do everything he can if he said just a few days in the past he’s now not gonna name Vladimir Putin except further discover?” Doocy queried.

“We had been ready to do that through completely different channels,” she spoke back. “And the president has been dedicated to getting this achieved. We’re nonetheless working to secure Paul Whelan right now. We were not in a position to make that occur, but that does not stop us, on the way to now not stop us in to ensure that Paul returns again residence safely to his domestic.”

Watch above by the use of Fox Information.

The submit ‘That Professional Athlete Is Also an American Citizen’: Karine Jean-Pierre Tangles with Doocy Over Prisoner ExChange first seemed on Mediaite.