Former President Donald Trump is predicting that detained Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich will be released by Russia almost immediately following this year’s presidential election. Trump made this claim on his Truth Social account, stating that Russian President Vladimir Putin will release Gershkovich for him but not for anyone else, and that the US will not be paying anything for his release. However, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated that Putin has not had any contacts with Trump regarding this matter.
Gershkovich, a 32-year-old Wall Street Journal reporter, has been detained in Russia since March 2023 on espionage allegations that are considered absurd by both the US government and his employer. He recently lost another appeal to end his pretrial detention and will remain behind bars until at least June. Trump had previously made a similar claim regarding Gershkovich’s release at the end of April during an interview with TIME, stating that he would get him released if he were in office.
Despite Trump’s claims, President Biden has been calling for Gershkovich’s release and his administration is working to bring both him and imprisoned American Paul Whelan home from Russia. Biden mentioned Gershkovich during his address at the recent White House Correspondents’ Dinner, urging Putin to free him immediately. The interview with Trump also touched on his plans for dealing with Putin in his second term, with Trump stating that he hasn’t called for Gershkovich’s release on dubious spying charges because he is focused on other priorities.
Overall, Trump’s prediction of Gershkovich’s imminent release by Russia following the presidential election is met with skepticism given the lack of confirmed contact between Putin and Trump on this matter. Gershkovich’s detention in Russia on espionage allegations continues, despite calls for his release from both Trump and Biden. The situation remains unresolved as Gershkovich is expected to remain jailed through June. The efforts of both former and current US administrations to secure Gershkovich’s release highlight the ongoing challenges faced by journalists working in hostile environments such as Russia.
