President Joe Biden on Friday called on Paul Whelan’s sister to pledge to bring the ex-Marine from Russia, a White House official said, the first time the family has been in contact with the president. “President Biden today nominated Elizabeth Whelan, the sister of Paul Whelan, who has been wrongfully imprisoned in Russia since 2018,” a White House official said. The phone call came two days after his sister expressed her disappointment on Twitter after learning that the president and vice president were the wives of Brittney Griner, the WNBA star who has been detained in Russia since Feb. 17. “Still looking for press release saying @POTUS spoke to everyone in OUR family about #PaulWhelan, wrongfully imprisoned in #Russia for 3.5 years,” Elizabeth Whelan tweeted Wednesday.
During their call on Friday, Biden “reaffirmed his commitment to bringing Paul back as soon as possible, and the U.S. government will continue its efforts to secure Paul’s release as Brittney Griner and all other Americans are held hostage or misbehaved around the world.” ” said a White House official.
“The U.S. government will continue to work closely with Paul’s family and the families of other Americans held hostage or imprisoned abroad to provide them with support and assistance and continue to make sustained efforts to secure the release of their loved ones,” the official said. he said. Paul Whelan’s twin brother, David Whelan, told ABC News that the family wasn’t expecting the call — and that his sister was on a noisy New York street when it happened. He said the call was especially important to her parents.
On Thursday, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters that White House officials including Secretary of State Antony Blinken had been in contact with Elizabeth Whelan.
ABC News’ Rachel Scott pressed Jean-Pierre on what it takes to get a meeting or phone call from the president to try and help someone get released from Russian custody and how this administration can assure the Whelan family that their pleas are being heard and taken seriously.
“We want to assure them, the Whelans and the Griner family, and all other … U.S. nationals who are being wrongfully detained or held hostage abroad that this president is doing everything that he can to make sure that they come home safely,” Jean-Pierre said. “We’re going to use any – every means that we have. Clearly, we cannot negotiate in public. That is not something that we’re going to do. But, we’re committed to making sure they all get home safely.”
“The U.S. government will continue to work closely with Paul’s family and the families of other Americans held hostage or imprisoned abroad to provide them with support and assistance and continue to make sustained efforts to secure the release of their loved ones,” the official said. he said. Paul Whelan’s twin brother, David Whelan, told ABC News that the family wasn’t expecting the call — and that his sister was on a noisy New York street when it happened. He said the call was especially important to her parents.
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