it was a complex process that carried out over the course of several months. and it was really in recent weeks that the biden administration realized that it was one or none, that they were going to get this deal for brittney griner and trade viktor bout or no deal at all. so that is why they went ahead. but over the course of those nts nos, u.s. officials were frustrated because russians were putting people on the table who wasn t even in u.s. custody. the percenson they kept asking was a person in prison in germany, a former russian spy. and the russians kept saying that that is who they wanted in return for a prisoner swap that included paul whelan. and so that was frustrating to u.s. officials. and now, going forward, the question is, how can they figure
paul. and we ll fight that every single day that we can and bring him home as well. i know brittney was your constituent, but i m sure it will be reassuring to paul s family to hear that you will continue to fight for his release as well. thank you for caring. thank you. and a predominantly white county just declared racism a public health crisis. what is behind the move, up nenext. the eat fresh® refresh just won t stop! now, subway® is refreshing their catering with easy-order platters and lunchboxes perfect for any party. pool pties. tailgates. holiday parties. even retirement parties. man, love parties. subway keeps refreshing and refreshing i brought in ensure max protein with 30 grams of protein. those who tried me felt more energy in just two weeks. uhhhh. here, i ll take that. [woo hoo!]
army medical senator a routine health evaluation. earlier i spoke to griner s head coach who had this message for her. bg, we love you and we re so happy that you are home. i burst into tears when i heard that you were returning and i know so many other people did as well. we re just so touched to have you back. we love you so much. we live in a world that can be divisive and there is a lot of noise out there, but from the people nearest to you, we love you and we re so happy that you are home. like that message there. and kylie atwood is joining me now. what more do we know about process that led to her release and the efforts now to bring home paul whelan as well?
out something to put on the table that will actually get paul whelan home. because administration officials said that they were quite creative over the course of the last few months to try to put something down that russians would actually accept. but what they are saying today is that they are trying to think of new innovative ways, new things that they can offer to russia to try to get paul whelan home. and i do think that it is significant that just today we re hearing from president putin. he is the one who will make any determination on any prisoner swa swap and he said that there is the possibility of a future prisoner swap. so that is a positive signal, but u.s. officials are headed back to the drawing board to try to be creative to get out this american wrongfully detained for four years now. and that offer that russia put on the table of the releasing that russia held in german prison, of course that was something that the united states was never going to did or put germany
in russian and it did appear that they were taunting her as she was leaving the facility. congresswoman, as someone who also grew up in houston, this is a story i m following. and this whole country is relieved that she is home and we also hope and are thinking of those others not as fortunate like paul whelan who are still wrongfully detained. thank you for joining us. and if i might just quickly say, everything we did had paul whelan in it. the legislation that we introduced and vote ordd introduced and vote or on, we wt paul whelan home. no matter what anyone says, it was the russians who played the game and played and played and played with the idea that they would take and bring out both paul and britstney. it was only vladimir putin who made the ugly decision to keep