Sen. J.D. Vance (R-Ohio), Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump’s running mate in this year’s election, appeared to attempt this week to credit to Trump a prisoner swap that sent several Americans home — though Donald Trump is not in any kind of official governmental role whatsoever.
But specifically, Vance suggested that foreign authoritarians were moving things along to avoid having to deal with a supposedly expected Trump presidency after January 20, 2025.
“I’m not sure it’s really worthy of a response,” offered Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) on CNN of Vance’s comments. “This is not a time for partisanship. It’s not a time for tribalism. It’s a time for us to speak to the fact that this is an American moment. All of us should be thrilled that folks are coming home and we shouldn’t be opportunistically looking at a chance to score political points off the backs of the suffering of our returning hostages.”
Booker is a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Vance, meanwhile, has already taken to the campaign trail in his new role as part of Trump’s campaign.
The deal brought three American citizens and one American green card-holder out of Russia, in addition to freeing other individuals from detention in the Putin-controlled country.
“And let me be clear: I will not stop working until every American wrongfully detained or held hostage around the world is reunited with their family,” President Biden said Thursday. “My Administration has now brought home over 70 such Americans, many of whom were in captivity since before I took office. Still, too many families are suffering and separated from their loved ones, and I have no higher priority as President than bringing those Americans home.”
Biden recently withdrew from this year’s presidential election following weeks of questions about his advanced age, but he is remaining committed to finishing his term.
