National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan got emotional at the podium while delivering a statement on the prisoner exchange with Russia that saw the release of 24 detainees.
Sullivan praised President Joe Biden’s leadership and diplomatic skills — “this was vintage Joe Biden” — as he described the intricate process that had been taking place for several months as he tried to secure the release of wrongly imprisoned Americans as well as Russian freedom fighters. Family members of Paul Whelan, Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, Russian-American journalist Alsu Kurmasheva, and American green card holder Vladimir Kara-Murza were in the Oval Office with Biden and spoke to their loved ones over the phone after their release.
After he was introduced by White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, Sullivan delivered some prepared remarks, and at one point he got choked up and had to compose himself:
[W]e’re deeply grateful to our allies who supported us in these complex negotiations to achieve this outcome. And while I’m standing at this podium, the President is reaching out to give personal thanks to the leaders of Germany, Poland, Slovenia, Norway, and Turkey. And honestly, guys, I can just say this was vintage Joe Biden rallying America, rallying American allies, to save American citizens and Russian freedom fighters, and doing it with intricate statecraft, pulling his whole team together to drive this across the finish line.
His goal has always been to put the families first, the families who are enduring an unimaginable ordeal. From the President on down, we’ve stayed in regular and routine touch with them. I spent a lot of time with the families of Evan and Paul and Alsu. And most of the time, as you can imagine, those are tough conversations. But not today. Today– excuse me. Today was a very good day, and we’re going to build on it. Drawing inspiration and continued courage from it. For all of those who are held hostage or wrongfully detained around the world, and that includes Mark Fogel, who we are actively working, to get his release from Russia as well. And there are others being held in Syria, Afghanistan, other countries around the world who we are working to get released.
Once he started taking questions, the Associated Press White House correspondent Seung Min Kim asked about the Oval Office phone call and whether anyone got “tear[ed] up,” which got Sullivan to quip: “I saved my tearing up for this podium. I would like to strike that from the record. I don’t know if that’s permitted. Probably not.”
Watch the video above via CNN.
Have a tip we should know? tips@mediaite.com
Most Popular
Comments / 0