Gov. Burgum Tells Fox Russia Only Agreed to the Prisoner Swap Because They Think Trump Is Going to Win

North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum (R) claimed on Thursday that Russia only agreed to a prisoner swap with the United States because they think Donald Trump is going to win the presidential election in November.

Burgum joined Dana Perino and Bill Hemmer on Fox News to react to news of a prisoner swap that include the release of Paul Whelan and journalist Evan Gershkovich .

Burgum called it a “day of gratitude and celebration” and acknowledged both men were wrongfully imprisoned, but gave Trump the credit.

“The Biden administration is clear, the reason why Russia wanted to do this deal now is they think that President Trump’s going to win and they don’t want to deal with him,” he said.

President Joe Biden released a statement on the prisoner swap , but did not make mention of Trump.

“All told, we’ve negotiated the release of 16 people from Russia—including five Germans and seven Russian citizens who were political prisoners in their own country. Some of these women and men have been unjustly held for years. All have endured unimaginable suffering and uncertainty. Today, their agony is over,” he said .

Gershkovich, a Wall Street Journal reporter, was arrested in 2023 for espionage, a charge he and the United States government have called completely fabricated. Whelan, a former Marine, was arrested in 2018 on charges of spying, which has been similarly denied. Journalist Alsu Kurmasheva and Pulitzer Prizer winner Vladimir Kara-Murza were also prisoners part of the negotiations.

Burgum called Biden’s latest deal a “political move” and blasted the administration’s handling of foreign policy situations with Russia and Israel.

“This is a positive blip, but the trend line is a proxy war with Russia escalating and of course with what’s going on with Iran and Israel,” he said.

The Wall Street Journal reported that Gershkovich and others released left a Russian aircraft in Turkey on Thursday afternoon.

Watch above via Fox News.