Biden-Hostage Release Defends Democracy While Breaking Trump
During his remarks President Biden noted that several of the prisoners released were Russians fighting for democracy. Meanwhile, the release has broken Trump.
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Biden And Harris Defend Democracy While Freeing Hostages
President Biden said something interesting and critical for democracy while discussing the largest prisoner release/hostage swap since the Cold War.
Biden said:
All told Russia has released 16 prisoners, eight Russians who are being held in the West will be sent home as well. These 16 prisoners from Russia that Russia has released include four Americans, five Germans, seven Russian citizens who are political prisoners in their own country. One of those Russians runs a human rights organization memorial which won a Nobel Prize in 2022. Putin threw him in prison for voicing opposition to the war in Ukraine. Four others worked with Alexei Navalny, political opposition leader who died in Russia prison this year.
Now they can live safely abroad and continue their work of advocating for democracy. If they so choose, this deal would not have been made possible without our allies, Germany, Poland, Slovenia, Norway and Turkey. They all stepped up and they stood with us, they stood with us and they made bold and brave decisions, these prisoners being held in their countries who are justifiably being held and provide a logistical support to get the Americans home. So for anyone who questions with allies matter, they do, they matter.
Today is a powerful example of why it's vital to have friends in this world friends you can trust work with and depend upon, especially on matters of great consequence and sensitivity like this, our alliances make our people safer. And we began to see that again today. Let me say this says a lot about the United States that we work relentlessly to free Americans who are unjustly held around the world. It also says a lot about us that this deal includes the release of Russian political prisoners. They stood up for democracy and human rights, their own leaders threw them in prison. The United States helps secure their release as well.
Video of President Biden:
At a time when authoritarians at home and abroad are attacking democracy, Joe Biden and Kamala Harris never seem to miss a moment or an opportunity to strengthen the type of governance that supports freedom and liberty.
The fact that President Biden concluded this hostage deal an hour before he announced that he was not running for reelection is incredible. It shows Biden’s deep commitment to the presidency and to democracy.
Joe Biden could have been concerned only about the Americans, who were his first priority, but Biden went beyond that because he truly and deeply believes in the need for democracy to triumph.
Donald Trump is the other side of the coin. Trump represents the threat to democracy, and his reaction to the hostage deal was also revealing.
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