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The parents of a US Marine veteran locked up in Russia met with President Joe Biden Wednesday hours after they traveled from Texas to protest outside the White House.
Trevor Reed has been behind bars since 2019 as he serves a nine year sentence on charges he assaulted two cops in Moscow.
White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki confirmed the meeting between Biden and parents Joey and Paula Reed in a statement released Wednesday night.
“During their meeting, the President reiterated his commitment to continue to work to secure the release of Trevor, Paul Whelan, and other Americans wrongfully held in Russia and elsewhere, and to provide all possible assistance until they and others are free and returned home to their families who are advocating so passionately for their release,” Psaki said in a statement.
Whelan is a Michigan corporate security executive jailed on espionage charges.
Paula and Joey Reed had been stationed in front of the North Lawn of the White House prior to the meeting, wearing T-shirts with their son’s face and saying they had been “promised” a meeting.
They had told CNN they would stay outside of the White House until Friday, after traveling from Granbury, Texas. Biden had spoken with the Reeds by phone earlier this month.
A spokesman for the Reeds said the couple spoke with Biden and other administration officials in the Oval Office for over a half an hour. Spokesman Jonathan Franks declined to discuss details of the discussion with the Associated Press.
Psaki said the president’s national security team will remain in regular contact with the Reeds and other families of “Americans held hostage or wrongfully detained abroad.”
Nationally Security Advisor Jake Sullivan also met virtually with the Reeds in a group setting, then privately in December, Psaki said.
“He expressed our commitment to bringing Trevor home,” Psaki said of Sullivan. “We understand the pain felt by all of Trevor’s families and friends enduring the nightmare of his absence, which we are committed to bringing to an end.”
Trevor, 30, was charged with assaulting police officers who were driving him to a police station the night after a party where he reportedly got blackout drunk. He was sentenced to nine years in prison after he was convicted in 2020.
With Post wires
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