HOUSTON – U.S. basketball star Brittney Griner, a Houston native, was released from Russian custody in a prisoner exchange swap, President Joe Biden said Thursday morning.
“Moments ago I spoke to Brittney Griner. She is safe. She is on a plane. She is on her way home,” Biden said in a tweet.
Recommended Videos
RELATED: Who is the Russian arms dealer that the U.S. exchanged for Brittney Griner?
#BrittneyGriner and #BrittneyGrinerfree are trending hashtags as news of her release was released. Here is the president’s tweet, as well as a number of others shared since the athlete’s release:
Moments ago I spoke to Brittney Griner.
— President Biden (@POTUS) December 8, 2022
She is safe.
She is on a plane.
She is on her way home. pic.twitter.com/FmHgfzrcDT
Grateful for the long-overdue release of Brittney Griner today from Russian custody. Kudos to @POTUS and his administration for the difficult diplomatic work involved to make it happen. We’re looking forward to having Brittney back home. https://t.co/G5yKliRoxd
— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) December 8, 2022
Brittney Griner is coming home.
— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) December 8, 2022
Just incredibly good news.
Thank you to President Biden and everyone in the administration who made this happen, as well as the advocates who pushed for it. https://t.co/xwAIyArOoK
I wonder if Brittney Griner will sing and stand for the National Anthem now that the United States has compromised national security to free her?… #BrittneyGriner
— Tomi Lahren (@TomiLahren) December 8, 2022
My last tweet was no shot at Brittney Griner. I’m super happy she’s back home as she should be. I just have family who have served and it’s crazy to me the President wouldn’t bring him home too. I’m the furthest thing from a trump supporter but I’m not a fan of Biden either.
— Micah Parsons (@MicahhParsons11) December 8, 2022
Today, Brittney Griner’s wrongful detention in Russia finally ends and she is on her way home to be reunited with her family. Her release is the product of painstaking negotiations and @POTUS’ commitment to bring home every U.S. citizen wrongfully detained anywhere in the world.
— Vice President Kamala Harris (@VP) December 8, 2022
Thankful that Brittney Griner is free and on the way home.
— Hakeem Jeffries (@RepJeffries) December 8, 2022
President Biden gets it done.
Again.
🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
We just traded “The Merchant of Death” Viktor Bout, a man who sold arms to warlords, for Brittney Griner, a WNBA player.
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) December 8, 2022
This may be the worst trade deal in history.
Brittney Griner is free. pic.twitter.com/Hysiq0babU
— The Players' Tribune (@PlayersTribune) December 8, 2022
“Today is just a happy day for me and my family.”
— The Associated Press (@AP) December 8, 2022
Watch Cherelle Griner's full remarks on the release of her wife Brittney Griner from Russia in a high-level prisoner exchange. https://t.co/H0w8BNpEvR pic.twitter.com/CSW2oIRUoz
#BrittneyGriner is free. Hallelujah!
— Ana Navarro-Cárdenas (@ananavarro) December 8, 2022
Folks, if you are an American citizen, DO NOT go to Russia, right now. Just don’t.
Putin is a ruthless man, capable of anything.
Also, WNBA needs pay equity so US athletes don’t have to go play in God-forsaken countries with no rule of law.
Do you know it’s possible to celebrate progress, while also knowing there’s more to be done?
— Be A King (@BerniceKing) December 8, 2022
To feel joy about #BrittneyGriner’s release AND realize the work is not over in this nation or abroad concerning unjust imprisonment?
Don’t let your 1st response always be bitterness.
The #BrittneyGriner trade is Biden’s version of Obama’s Bergdahl trade. In both cases America got back a nasty anti-American leftist in exchange for some really bad dudes likely to continue to do harm to this country. This is the Democrat playbook!
— Dinesh D'Souza (@DineshDSouza) December 8, 2022
After nearly 300 days, Brittney Griner is coming home.
— Rep. Greg Stanton (@RepGregStanton) December 8, 2022
This is the day we worked towards and prayed for.
She’s free. #BrittneyGriner https://t.co/ZEJXAeOewg
— Frank Figliuzzi (@FrankFigliuzzi1) December 8, 2022
#BrittneyGriner is on her way to the US and a military facility in San Antonio after prisoner swap in UAE. Paul Whelan is left behind with Russia insisting on treating him as an espionage case, though the US denies he was ever a spy. Russia told the US it was “one or none.”
— Andrea Mitchell (@mitchellreports) December 8, 2022
It's happened! #BrittneyGriner is on her way home. We knew this process could take months, but she is free!! https://t.co/dwvWl1KPHp
— Kimberly St. Julian-Varnon (@ksvarnon) December 8, 2022
#BrittneyGriner is free! Now let’s free all drug war political prisoners. https://t.co/IvxToqHmWV
— Carl Hart (@drcarlhart) December 8, 2022
This unjust detention is over and Brittney Griner is coming home. I’m so happy for her wife Cherelle and their whole family. Thank you to everyone who advocated for Brittney’s release and to the State Department and White House who worked so hard to make this happen.
— Senator Mark Kelly (@SenMarkKelly) December 8, 2022
We are grateful that #BrittneyGriner’s unjust detention has ended. Her sentence was atypical for the crime of which she was convicted. She should be home with her wife and family. This is also true for many people in U.S. prisons for marijuana possession. https://t.co/3Z9eQVcqdx
— The Martin Luther King, Jr. Center (@TheKingCenter) December 8, 2022
Welcome Home #BrittneyGriner! https://t.co/IH5CTOuXGG
— Senator Paul Strauss (@SenPaulStrauss) December 8, 2022
Brittney Griner (who was charged with carrying CBD oil in a vape) was released in exchange for Russian Viktor Bout who was convicted of conspiracy to kill U.S. citizens, delivery of anti-aircraft missiles, and providing aid to terrorists.
— Dr. Mariela Roca (@rocaforcongress) December 8, 2022
There wasn’t ANYONE ELSE? 🤯
God is good! Brittney Griner is FREE! 🙌🏾
— LaTosha Brown (@MsLaToshaBrown) December 8, 2022
REV. AL SHARPTON APPLAUDS BRITTNEY GRINER’S RETURN TO US AFTER NINE-MONTH IMPRISONMENT IN RUSSIA
— Reverend Al Sharpton (@TheRevAl) December 8, 2022
Civil Rights Leader Urged Faith Leaders Trip to Russia to Pray over WNBA Star, Pressured Biden Administration to Bring Her Home#WeAreBG #BrittneyGriner pic.twitter.com/cJGBSX9EtO
Thank the Lord!!! #BrittneyGriner https://t.co/xOMlAlcVji
— Nina Turner (@ninaturner) December 8, 2022
This morning #BrittneyGriner is free- it is because of the relentless work of her wife Cherelle, friends like @dawnstaley, her agent, fellow players at @TheWNBPA , thousands of Americans especially #Blackwomen! AND THE determination of @potus and @vp to get her home. #WeareBG
— Jotaka Eaddy (@JotakaEaddy) December 8, 2022
So Happy to see this, I can only imagine how happy & relieved her family must be.
— Joleen Nordstrom (@JoleenNordstrom) December 8, 2022
💓🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏💓#BrittneyGriner #BrittneyIsFree pic.twitter.com/Kku58pAxoJ
Oh Vin Diesel made it happen? 😫😅 #BrittneyGriner pic.twitter.com/jFhVvXnWnY
— Mekka Don (@MekkaDonMusic) December 8, 2022