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Last week, former President Donald Trump took to his social media platform to proclaim that Evan Gershkovich, the American journalist improperly imprisoned in Russia, would be released — after he was reelected president. Russian President Vladimir Putin would release the Wall Street Journal reporter for him, but not for anyone else, Trump boasted.
This is callous and, likely, a meddlesome interference with ongoing U.S. effort to secure the release of Gershkovich, a 2014 graduate of Bowdoin College in Brunswick. The college recognized Gershkovich’s ongoing detention during its graduation ceremony on Saturday.
If Trump can secure the release of Gershkovich, he should do it now, not months from now.
Gershkovich is already a political prisoner of Putin. He deserves much better than to be treated as a political pawn by Trump, the Republican candidate for president this fall.
“Evan Gershkovich, the Reporter from The Wall Street Journal, who is being held by Russia, will be released almost immediately after the Election, but definitely before I assume Office,” Trump posted on his Truth Social platform early last Thursday morning. “He will be HOME, SAFE, AND WITH HIS FAMILY. Vladimir Putin, President of Russia, will do that for me, but not for anyone else, and WE WILL BE PAYING NOTHING!”
At minimum, it was a confounding post from a man who has had little to say about Gershkovich’s plight. Asked by Time magazine in April why he had not advocated for the journalist’s release, Trump said he was too busy with other things.
Worse, Trump may be trying to showcase his close relationship with Putin. Much has been written about the dangers of Trump essentially doing Putin’s bidding by valorizing the Russian president and his ruthless rule and opposing and undermining U.S. support for Ukraine, which Russia invaded in February 2022. Trump has also not been a champion of journalists, calling the press the “enemy of the people.” He also refers to the “fake news media,” to try to debunk reporting he doesn’t like.
Despite Trump’s boasts about his power to bring Gershkovich home, a Kremlin spokesperson said it had no contact with Trump, the Guardian reported. The Russian denial may or may not be true.
Even worse, Trump’s post could undermine efforts by the Biden administration to secure Gershkovich’s release. The 32-year-old journalist was reporting for the Wall Street Journal when he was taken into custody by the Russian Federal Security Service in March 2023. He was charged with espionage, the first time a U.S. journalist has been accused of spying in Russia since the Cold War. He has been held without a trial date since then. The Wall Street Journal has strongly denied the espionage charge.
By promising Gershkovich’s return after the November election, Trump has essentially given Putin and other Russian authorities a pass to do nothing until then. This could extend Gershkovich’s imprisonment.
That’s a high price for the journalist to pay as Trump seeks to again be elected to the White House. Gershkovich obviously deserves better.
If Trump wants to show Americans how powerful and well connected he is, he should get Gershkovich released now. That would be something to campaign on, rather than an empty brag that will likely worsen and lengthen Gershkovich’s detention.
