Russian ‘Merchant Of Death’ Reportedly Delivers Message To Trump
As the Biden administration worked feverishly to arrange for the release of WNBA star Britney Griner from a Russian prison last year, critics denounced the decision to release notorious arms dealer Viktor Bout from custody in the U.S. as part of a prisoner swap.
Bout, nicknamed the “Merchant of Death,” was serving a 25-year sentence on charges related to supplying weapons to a militant group that intended to kill Americans.
For his part, Bout maintained a balanced tone in an interview he granted shortly after his return to Russia, explaining: “I wouldn’t say that the Americans caved in by exchanging me. If the agreement was reached, it means that common ground was found that satisfied both sides.”
He has not made international news much since then, but reports this week indicated that he has some advice for former President Donald Trump following an indictment by a Manhattan grand jury that critics say was politically motivated.
“First and foremost, I consider that his life is in danger and that the legal process which has now begun in New York, won’t end in Donald Trump being convicted and barred from the election,” Bout reportedly said. “Most likely he will simply be eliminated there.”
He reportedly went on to encourage Trump to consider leaving the United States.
Trump has attracted both praise and criticism for his attempts to cool tensions between the U.S. and Russia, which have only grown more pronounced since President Joe Biden’s inauguration and last year’s invasion of Ukraine by Russian troops.
During a recent interview with Fox News Channel host Sean Hannity, the former president defended his ties with Russian leader Vladimir Putin, asserting that the hostilities of the past few years would not have occurred if he were still in the White House.
“Had I been president, he would have been much better off because he wouldn’t have gone into Ukraine,” Trump asserted.
