Biden to finally meet with families of Brittney Griner and Paul Whelan


On Friday, President Biden will meet with the families of Brittney Griner and Paul Whelan concerning a proposed prisoner swap with Russia. It will be the first time he has met the families in person, CNN reports.
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Biden would meet separately with Griner's wife, Cherelle Griner, and Whelan's sister, Elizabeth Whelan, to reassure them of his administration's commitment to negotiating the release of their loved ones. Jean-Pierre said the president wants them to know the issue remains "front of mind" and that "his team is working on this every day."
The Biden administration has insisted that securing the release of Griner, Whelan, and other Americans wrongfully detained abroad is a top priority. Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced in July that the U.S. had submitted a proposal to Russian authorities for Griner and Whelan's release. The document included a proposed swap for convicted Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout, who is serving a 25-year sentence in the U.S., per CNN.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Russian officials arrested Griner in February for transporting cannabis oil vape cartridges into the country. The U.S. Olympic gold medal-winning basketball star later plead guilty to the drug charges, and said she accidentally packed the cartridges in her bag. Griner was then fined and sentenced to nine years in prison. Her legal team is appealing the ruling.
Whelan has been detained in Russia for alleged espionage since December 2018.
When asked if there would be any updates for the families come Friday, Jean-Pierre told CNN that the administration "would love to be saying today that we have news about Brittney and Paul coming home today" but "unfortunately, that is not where the negotiations are at this time."
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Theara Coleman has worked as a staff writer at The Week since September 2022. She frequently writes about technology, education, literature and general news. She was previously a contributing writer and assistant editor at Honeysuckle Magazine, where she covered racial politics and cannabis industry news.
-
September 14 editorial cartoons
Cartoons Sunday’s political cartoons include RFK Jr on the hook, the destruction of discourse, and more
-
Air strikes in the Caribbean: Trump’s murky narco-war
Talking Point Drug cartels ‘don’t follow Marquess of Queensberry Rules’, but US military air strikes on speedboats rely on strained interpretation of ‘invasion’
-
Crossword: September 14, 2025
The Week's daily crossword puzzle
-
Kim Jong Un’s triumph: the rise and rise of North Korea’s dictator
In the Spotlight North Korean leader has strengthened ties with Russia and China, and recently revealed his ‘respected child’ to the world
-
‘Peak consumption has become the Holy Grail of the energy debate’
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
House posts lewd Epstein note attributed to Trump
Speed Read The estate of Jeffrey Epstein turned over the infamous 2003 birthday note from President Donald Trump
-
Supreme Court allows 'roving' race-tied ICE raids
Speed Read The court paused a federal judge's order barring agents from detaining suspected undocumented immigrants in LA based on race
-
Burkina Faso's misinformation war
Under The Radar The president of the West African country has quickly become the face of a viral, AI-powered propaganda campaign
-
South Korea to fetch workers detained in Georgia raid
Speed Read More than 300 South Korean workers detained in an immigration raid at a Hyundai plant will be released
-
DC sues Trump to end Guard 'occupation'
Speed Read D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb argues that the unsolicited military presence violates the law
-
RFK Jr. faces bipartisan heat in Senate hearing
Speed Read The health secretary defended his leadership amid CDC turmoil and deflected questions about the restricted availability of vaccines