White House: Biden has read Griner’s letter

Brittney Griner’s appeal to President Joe Biden in a handwritten letter continued to garner reaction Tuesday after the WNBA All-Star acknowledged she feared never returning home and asked Biden not to “forget about me and the other American Detainees.”

Griner’s letter was delivered through her representatives to the White House on Monday and officials say the president has read it. However Griner’s wife, Cherelle, said Tuesday on a morning talk show that she hadn’t heard from Biden.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre was asked repeatedly about Griner on Tuesday during the regular briefing. She said Biden read the letter, but she did not detail his reaction.

“This is very personal to him.” Jean-Pierre did not say whether there were plans for Biden to speak with Griner’s family, but did say that National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken both spoke to Griner’s wife recently.

Jean-Pierre said Biden wanted to get Griner and other Americans home.

“We are going to use every tool we possibly can to make that happen,” JeanPierre said.

Griner is in the midst of a trial in Russia that began last week after she was arrested on Feb. 17 on charges of possessing cannabis oil while returning to play for her Russian team. The trial will resume Thursday.

Fewer than 1% of defendants in Russian criminal cases are acquitted, and unlike in U.S. courts, acquittals can be overturned.

Griner’s representatives Monday shared a few excerpts from her letter to the president.

“…As I sit here in a Russian prison, alone with my thoughts and without the protection of my wife, family, friends, Olympic jersey, or any accomplishments, I’m terrified I might be here forever,” Griner wrote.

“On the 4th of July, our family normally honors the service of those who fought for our freedom, including my father who is a Vietnam War Veteran,” the Phoenix Mercury center added. “It hurts thinking about how I usually celebrate this day because freedom means something completely different to me this year.”