Biden calls Brittney Griner sentence 'unacceptable'

Former CIA station chief Dan Hoffman joined 'America's Newsroom' to discuss the verdict.

President Biden called Brittney Griner’s sentence "unacceptable" on Thursday after the WNBA superstar was given a nine-year prison term following her conviction on drug charges.

Griner learned her fate after a months-long trial. She was arrested in a Moscow airport for possessing vape cartridges with oils derived from cannabis in February. Word of her arrest did not make it across the ocean until March, after Russia invaded Ukraine.

Biden also made clear the U.S. government’s focus was to bring Griner, and another detained American Paul Whelan, home from a Russian prison.

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American basketball star Brittney Griner apologized to her family and teams as a Russian court heard closing arguments in her drug possession trial said it expected to deliver a verdict later Thursday. (Evgenia Novozhenina/Pool Photo via AP)

"Today, American citizen Brittney Griner received a prison sentence that is one more reminder of what the world already knew: Russia is wrongfully detaining Brittney," Biden said in a statement. 

"It’s unacceptable, and I call on Russia to release her immediately so she can be with her wife, loved ones, friends, and teammates.  My administration will continue to work tirelessly and pursue every possible avenue to bring Brittney and Paul Whelan home safely as soon as possible."

Griner was also fined 1 million rubles, the equivalent of about $16,400.

She offered an apology ahead of her sentencing.

WNBA COACH BECKY HAMMON CALLS ON RUSSIA TO 'DO THE RIGHT THING' AHEAD OF BRITTNEY GRINER SENTENCING

WNBA star and two-time Olympic gold medalist Brittney Griner is escorted from a