Quick Hit:

North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum claims Russia agreed to the recent prisoner swap because they believe former President Trump will win the upcoming election.

Key Details:

• North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum spoke on Fox News Channel about Russia's motivations behind the prisoner swap.
• Burgum criticized President Biden's track record on hostage negotiations.
• The swap included Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich and former Marine Paul Whelan, among others.

Diving Deeper:

According to The Hill, North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum, during an interview on Fox News Channel with Dana Perino and Bill Hemmer, suggested that Russia agreed to the prisoner swap announced Thursday because they anticipate former President Donald Trump will win the 2024 election. Burgum described the event as a "day of gratitude and celebration" for the return of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich and former Marine Paul Whelan.

“The reason why Russia wanted to do the deal now is that they think that President Trump’s gonna win and they don’t want to deal with him,” Burgum stated, as highlighted by Mediaite. He went on to criticize President Biden’s approach to hostage negotiations, asserting that Biden’s policies have led to increasing international tensions amid ongoing conflicts like the Russia-Ukraine war and the Israel-Hamas war.

“This is not making the world less safe. This is, I think, a, you know, great, fabulous for the families, but it’s a political move and why Russia would go now, get maximum concessions from a weak President Biden,” Burgum added.

On Thursday, President Biden announced that Gershkovich, Whelan, and several other prisoners from different countries were released in the largest swap between the U.S. and Russia since the Cold War. In exchange, Russia received eight prisoners held by the U.S. while releasing 16 prisoners who were wrongfully detained or given severe sentences for minor offenses.

The negotiations for this swap spanned several months, with the final agreement reached just hours before Biden suspended his reelection campaign. Some White House officials suggested this decision demonstrates Biden’s willingness to prioritize national interests over his political career.