President Joe Biden traded a convicted drug dealer to Russia to secure the release of U.S. Marine Trevor Reed, the White House revealed Wednesday.
“I heard in the voices of Trevor’s parents how much they’ve worried about his health and missed his presence,” Biden said in a statement, revealing he had spoken with the family. “And I was delighted to be able to share with them the good news about Trevor’s freedom.”
The United States freed Russian Konstantin Yaroshenko, who was serving a 20 year prison sentence for conspiracy to smuggle cocaine into the United States, as part of the deal to free Reed, who was sentenced to nine years in prison after Russia accused him of assaulting an officer after a night of drinking. Reed has been detained in Russia since 2019.
Biden met with Reed’s parents in March after they staged a protest outside the White House to raise awareness about their son’s detainment.
The Reed family thanked Biden for his efforts, noting in a statement that “the president’s action may have saved Trevor’s life.”
The president said he was committed to securing the the release of Reed as well as Paul Whelan, an American arrested in Moscow on charges of espionage.
“The negotiations that allowed us to bring Trevor home required difficult decisions that I do not take lightly,” Biden said.