one american heading home as we speak, another stuck in

russia, frustrated with his future uncertain as we come on the wear, with brittney griner set to land in texas. her first time stepping foot in this country in nearly a year, after this elaborate secret multi-nation operation, freeing her from a russian prison. this hour, the new and dramatic details behind the scenes of how this all went down. and more on who russia got in exchange as the focus now turns to the other american held by russia, paul whelan. we understand president biden is set to call his family this hour. paul's sister elizabeth is set to join us with more. you will not want to miss that. also this hour, the fast-moving talks of keeping the government open. how the lawmakers are getting closer or not to the deal as the kwlok ticks down. plus the new damning report putting the nfl on notice. congress calling out what they described as a toxic workplace culture at washington commanders. more on the new reaction on that. as we're joined by an attorney for former commanders staffers later in the show. i'm hallie jackson in washington. with me is kara lee, our chief

international correspondent keir simmons and national security intelligence and justice correspondent ken dilanian. let's start with what we know about the prisoner exchange as we speak. so brittney griner herself is right now in transit to texas, to san antonio, where she's going to get debriefed, likely, she will get the medical treatment, and all as part of this swap, imp ficed by officials from the -- improvised by officials from the uae, landing in the city of abu dhabi, got on a plane. and not on the plane is paul whelan. the russia administration was not willing to make a deal for both americans imprisoned in russia. we know this seemed to come together to the degree we've seen in the last 48 hours. walk us through the details that you and your team are learning from behind the scenes from your sources about how this went down and where we go next. >> sure, these are negotiations that have been going on for many months. there was a proposal the u.s. put forward to russia in july, after that, u.s. officials said that russia did not respond to

any sort of serious counter-proposal, and things really went cold. after the midterms, you heard president biden said he hoped that russian president vladimir putin would be open to negotiating. and to be serious about this. that took place, according to the administration officials, those negotiations really ramped up, and then we saw that the administration officials said that as they really progressed, that russia was not going to budge on including paul whelan as part of this prisoner swap. the white house press secretary talked about this a little bit earlier. take a listen. >> it became clear that while the russians were willing to reach an agreement to secure brittney griner's release, they continued to treat paul differently this. last week, the president approved moving forward with releasing viktorbout in exchange for bringing home brittney griner. >> what we have learned in recent day, that brittney griner was moved from that penal colony to moscow and flown to the

united arab emirates this morning, and greeted by u.s. officials who said that she was all smiles, she also had that phone call with president biden and her wife, and cherelle griner. cherel. e said she and brittney griner will continue to try to get those other americans who are detained across the world freed. and also saying that she was full of gratitude and emotion. >> let me go to you. the deal has been on the table as was noted for months and not that there was dramatic sea change in u.s./russia relations. any analysis i'd welcome from you on timing, why now, and what you think changed. >> well, i think what the russians always wanted, but they go to their own play book and remember president putin is navy trained and sees himself as an aficionado of the law, so he would have wanted, and i know this is difficult to understand

from that side of the atlantic but from his point of view, we have wanted the legal process to take its course to say his country obeyed the law and in the end wanted viktor bout back. and a political side bar, the uae and saudi negotiating this, they are very pleased today, to message to america, you may be friends with russia, you may be friends with china, but i can help you, we can be that kind of independent state, and not so much your lap dog but we are actually useful if we're not so close to you, america. so there's a lot going on here. when it comes to president putin though, in the end, i don't think we need to read some kind of machiavellian timing into this. in the end, it happened when it happened. probably in the way president putin wanted it to happen. >> let me go to you, ken, as you're wearing both of your hats, the d.o.j. reporter and important already for this

discussion as our national security and intelligence reporter, too. because along with the, and you saw that smile on the face of cherelle griner earlier today along with the joy that her family is feeling, paul whelan is stillism prisoned in russian. this is the second time a plane has left rush ton take an american home and didn't have him on it. cnn spoke with him earlier today by phone. i want to play something with that. >> i would say that if a message could go to president biden, that, you know, this is a precarious situation, that needs to be resolved quickly, and i would hope that he and his administration would do everything they could to get me home, regardsless of the price they might have to pay at this point. >> what would that price be? do we know anything about that push to get him home, ken? >> well, hallie, that's what is so disconcerting about this exchange, without paul whelan, is that viktor bout seemed like

the prime candidate, the person that russian president vladimir putin and russian intelligence wanted the most. but it seems very clear that the russians are treating paul whelan separately. they're treating it as a spy case. even though the u.s. denies he was spying. so the logical assumption is that the u.s. will have to give up a russian spy in exchange and it's not clear who that would be at this point, whether we have anybody that is valuable enough to the russians to make that swap. but that seems to be where we are, hallie. >> the griner family, and we've spoken a lot with trevor reed and his family as well, there is this sort of remarkable solidarity among these families who have had loved ones in prison in russia, that they promise they will keep fighting for the other one, so now you have in this new statement we're just getting in from brittney griner's agent, and her representatives, a renewed commitment now, to fight for paul whelan. the advocacy that we saw for brittney griner, i'm thinking of megan rapinoe showing up with a

pin when she was at the white house, a bg pin, and there was advocacy on her behalf and it feels that advocacy will be to the push to get paul whelan out. >> and we heard that in cherelle griner's comments and continue to pursue this and there is a bond, and even the paul whelan family in their statement, they said very clearly the biden administration did the right thing and they were overjoyed for brittney griner returned and reunited with her family, at the same time saying this is a catastrophe for paul whelan, and so what i think you're going to see, there is a, there has been criticism, as you know, that these celebrities get specific types of attention, that their cases get elevated, and that they're treated a little differently. and so what, the sense that we're getting here is that celebrity, that star power, is now going to be shifted potentially on to cases like paul whelan, so that in an attempt to try to get them also reunited with their families. >> keir, what is your sense of

how russia will to be make a deal for paul whelan to get somebody out on their end? >> it is hard to tell honestly. clearly they have a mechanical view of this. negotiation is the way they see it. so i think ken is right, that they are, they do appear to be viewing paul whelan differently. but then of course, in the end, really, it just comes down to them trying to get what they can. well, i have to say, for some time, he appeared that america was trying to get two americans if you like for viktor sbs bout, you why never going to see that because the russians would not like the optics of that, one russian for two americans, it wasn't likely. it is hard to predict, until we hear what kinds of conversations might be taking place behind closed doors, and what the russians might be asking for. >> keir simmons thank you, excellent reporting for all of you, thank you, on an important story today.

we appreciate it. we are staying on this story. the prisoner swap of brittney griner, with some new reaction from her long-time coach later in the show. and we're also speaking with paul whelan's sister who will join us here, we believe after a phone call with the president. we will keep you posted on all of that coming up in just a bit. we also have some other news to get to, this afternoon. including what's happening in congress. on capitol hill. as a government shutdown is avoided. back in a minute. back in a minute this holiday season save big on all the gifts you need for the gifts that keep on giving. because while they have no idea what's going on here... -hi. -...a little something of their own will get them in the spirit. they don't know why you'd ever leave the house like this... but they'll happily hold down the fort while you're gone. -smiles! -and let's be honest, they'll never understand this whole situation... but they do get this. thank goodness. great prices. happy pets. chewy. this holiday... -happy holidays!

get extra merry with wayfair! let's eat! from hosting essentials to just right gifts. you shouldn't have! holiday your heart out with wayfair. ♪ wayfair, you've got just what i need ♪ [coughing] hi, susan. honey. yeah. i respect that. but that cough looks pretty bad. try this robitussin honey. the real honey you love, plus the powerful cough relief you need. mind if i root through your trash? robitussin. the only brand with real honeyand elderberry. over on capitol hill, new movements to the push to keep the lights on and keep the government open and functioning, with lawmaker only having eight days to get to a deal and avoid a government shutdown. republicans and democrats, not exactly seeing eye to eye on some kind of a package that would keep the government open for a year, some sort of funding deal. this is cash, for money like covid, for supporting ukraine, for disaster relief money.

gridlock over what that number should be. and in 25, $26 billion apart. let me bring in nbc news capitol hill correspondent ali vitali has more. >> they're far apart and without a top line number, none of these committees know how much they're trying to allocate for. someone else on our team this morning spoke with the house chair woman who seemed frustrated and frankly pessimistic about the idea that they could get a deal, but look, they have to fund the government. and the more lawmakers that we talk to here are sort of tongue in cheek joking about working over christmas or being back between christmas and new years, look at the calendar and you've got up on the screen there, the fact that they've got eight days for that initial deadline for the appropriations bill, that's the government funding deadline, and then of course, you can push it down further and further, but by january 3rd, you're starting a new congress. there is the option that they could do a kick the can down the road method where they don't do a full omni budget and instead

just say they will continue to fund the government without the new top wine numbers, that's a possibility. that's not what democrats want. the other side of this politically is that republicans in the house are saying to their republican counterparts in the senate, that they shouldn't really be negotiating here, because house republicans will take control of the house chamber in january. that will put them in a better negotiating position for their budget and the priorities that they want to see reflected. so a lot of politicking here, as we close out the end of the year, and it could be that some people are opening their presents and coming right back to washington around christmas time. we'll see if that's where we end up. but we keep hearing more and more jokes about that. >> i'm sure we would love to see it. thank you very much. and i want to bring in the democratic congressman pramila jayapal, thank you for being with us and congratulations to your re-election to your position. >> thank you very much. it is a great honor and we're going to have progressives be almost 50% of the democratic caucus now, and so i'm really

looking forward to this next term. >> so talk about the next term. before we get there, you got to talk about this term, with the government funding. let me start there where ali vitali, my colleague on the hill left off. congress will probably have to pass something short term in the next week to get something figured out. what sur confidence level that there will be a year long continuing resolution. >> i haven't given up that we can pass an appropriations bill. this is the number one job to fund government and we have had democratic proposals that have gotten no response for a long time. but we need to try to do this. i want to be clear. if we go to a continuing resolution, we're going to have challenges with all agencies that are seeing increased needs and those agencies are not going to get increased budgets. they're going to have to continue to operate from a couple of years ago budget, and that affects housing, it affects child care, it affects all of the things we do as a federal government. by the way, it has a significant

effect on the military, and our pentagon budget, which is why secretary austin has been pushing hard to not have a one-year cr. and i believe we will pass at least a one-year cr. we can't have the government shut down. and i can't imagine that my republican colleagues would want the government to shut down right as they're about to come into power. but let's try to get a real appropriations bill done, and get real funding for all of these agencies that government is uniquely qualified to provide. >> one of the things that you just mentioned is the idea of funning for the military, obviously, and the house just this afternoon has passed now, the national defense authorization act that would, with some last-minute drama there, would undo the covid vaccine mandate for members of the military. something we have covered a lot here on the show. and now it is looking likely to fall out of the military mandate here. you and 45 democrats in total voted against it.

why? >> hallie, i have been voting against the ndaa since i came into congress, because i simply don't believe that we need such an increase in defense spending every year, without accountability for that spending. the pentagon is the only agency in the federal government that has not been able to even go through a clean audit. so i don't understand why we keep appropriating more and more money when we know that there is money that's there that's being misused. look at a clean audit and then i would be happy to look at increases but let's look at what we did today, and i did not vote for this bill, bought i don't think it's right. the -- because i don't think it's right. the final number for the authorization was $87 billion more than 2021 and $45 billion more than the president and lloyd austin, the defense secretary, even asked for. so it has become patriotic to keep increasing the military budget, but we have the child tax credit we need to funds, for millions of families across the country.

we have the earned income tax credit for millions of low income family. we have the low income housing tax credit. all of these things that need money desperately, and i just want to see accountability for our defense funding. and let's make sure you can pass a clean audit. and then i'd be happy to continue to fund increases that are necessary. >> there's been a lot, i don't have to tell you, a lot of action on the house today, including the pass average the respect for marriage act not too long ago which is a very narrow piece of legislation that is headed to the president's desk and i think the plaintiff in the landmark supreme court case, protecting same-sex marriage, does this bill, it just doesn't go far enough, he says, because states can still decide their own rules for marriage, he wants religious freedom out of the conversation for marriage all together. what say you to that? do you believe that the respect for marriage act goes far enough in protecting and respect can lbgtq plus right? >> well, look, i believe we have a lot more than, that we have to do, there is no question about

that. i agree with him completely. and it's a joyful moment that we could at least pass this small narrow but important, critically important protection, and i say that as somebody who is in an inter-racial marriage myself, and somebody who is the proud mother of a trans-gender daughter, and who i want to make sure that we are speaking to lbgtq couples across the country and to inter-racial couples across the country and saying the supreme court is not going to strip away these rights the way that they have just done with the dobbs decision. so i think this is important. but i couldn't agree more, that we need to pass the equality act and that there is so much more that we need to do for lbgtq plus communities, who have been under threat and continue to be under threat, and so i hope that this is a small sign to say we see you, we love you, and we're going to keep fighting for you, it is not the end, it is just an important beginning. >> let me ask you before i let you go about the other news, driving i think all of the headlines news today, the

release of brittney griner, this swap for viktor bout and paul whelan remains in russia. there is criticism on the other side of the aisle that suggests this trade may not have been the most effective way, the prisoner swap, to try to use the u.s. levers that it had. i wonder how you respond to that, and how you believe, what you believe the next best steps forward to bring paul whelan home. >> i think that this is a very important step, that the biden administration has taken, and has negotiated, and they have clearly said that they're going to continue to negotiate for the release of paul whelan, and the reality is, we have to fight for every single american that is held captive, hostage, in other countries, we have been doing that consistently, and i really would say that i am convinced that the administration is going keep doing that, that's important and this release of brittney griner today is extremely important and my heart goes out to the family of loved ones, and to her, because i know

it has been a very, very difficult time. >> there is some readjustment ahead in the transition back to the u.s. congresswoman pramila jayapal, thanks for being on the show. ahead, whether conspiracy theories played a part in the attack on the north carolina power station. we have more on where the investigation goes from here, next. postmenopausal women with hr+ her2- metastatic breast cancer are living longer with kisqali.

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. the blackouts in one north carolina county are over, days after a couple of power stations in moore were attacked. it is now back on. finally. finally, lights and power back on to the people who are in that county. and there's some new reporting there, on what exactly may have been behind this. let me bring in nbc's tom winter who is behind the reporting, the two senior law enforcement officials telling nbc news, they're looking at conspiracy theories that may have motivated this attack. what else do we know? >> that is one of the kind of the focuses of the investigation at this point is, looking into this idea as to whether or not conspiracy theories could have been a motivating factor behind this attack, which as you said, led to tens of thousands of people being in darkness over the weekend, after this occurred. it now, now there are other possibilities of course, it could have been a disgruntled current or former employee of the utility company, it could be somebody who had an ax to grind against a specific individual, but it is not the first time this has come up during the

course of the this investigation, and the officials in moore county north carolina saying they were open to any possibility really, and as a potential motive when folks suggested that there were online comments about a drag show in the region and could this be a reason why people attempted to turn off the power in that area. another individual wrote on facebook, quote, the power is out in moore county and i know why. that individual says she was questioned by police. she is somebody who left the u.s. army after having some alleged ties to a group that went to the january 6th and to the capitol and she hasn't been charged with wrongdoing, and nobody has suggested she is a suspect and as a matter of fact, they're not leaning on any particular suspect or suspects at this point. underlying all of this is the electrical grid in this country and physical security. as we clearly see there from the video, we could look right into those substations. so the question is from a physical security standpoint, what is being done, what could be done, given the enormous cost

it that might be associated with more physical security at these types of facilities. a couple of years back, i had the opportunity to list tonight southern company's ceo tom fanny, and he has a huge power company in the southeastern u.s. and they have focused on and feel very comfortable about the cybersecurity in the power grid at large and not specific to just his company, but i think this particular incident is getting people's attention to the physical security of the electrical grid, hallie. >> tom winter, thank you. still ahead, more than a thousand "new york times" workers are walking out, putting pressure on management they hope to get to a new union deal. we'll talk about that. plus a brands new report from a house committee revealing a decades long toxic work environment from one nfl team, next. next y app. like this one! 50% off?! that deal's so good we don't even need an eight-time all-star to tell you about it.

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have to see hallie. >> thank you very much. today, a new report detailing a toxic work culture over two decades, inside the washington commanders football organization, it has been dropped by congress, with the owner, the commanders owner dan snyder at the center of it. the house oversight committee, shows evidence of sexual harassment, they say, bullying, other toxic conduct, that they say has been in the organization for years, but the committee also finding that snyder tried to interfere with the multiple investigations into the leadership. the report also slamming the nfl, stating the league knew about the interferences and failed to do anything about it. the nfl keeps brushing workplace

misconduct under the rug. and we have heard a response from the commanders attorney saying this report only shows one side of the story. in a statement, we are proud of the progress the team has made in recent years in establishing a welcoming and inclusive workplace on and off the field. no comment yet from snyder himself or from the nfl. joining me now to talk more about this is lisa bank, an attorney who represents more than 40 former employees of the kplanzers. thank you very much for being with us on the show this afternoon. and let me start with the commanders sort of response to this here, that they say that this report is one-sided, that they've been doing a lot of work on the culture inside the organization. >> well, the report is not one-sided because the investigation wasn't one-sided. the team and mr. snyder had every opportunity to participate in this investigation, to provide documents and testimony, and what the report details is that more often than not, they refused to do that. they failed to turn over hundreds, if not thousands, of

documents that were requested. mr. snyder failed to appear for the scheduled testimony. and even when he did testify, by zoom, he was evasive, and failed to give fullsome answers. so they had every opportunity to provide their side of the story. and i think the problem is, is they don't really have a particularly persuasive side to the story. >> the communications report that the findings are that they have not protected their workers. i know you believe that there needs to be more done, that congress is compelled to take action, and quickly. what would swift action look like to you and to your clients? what would be satisfactory at this point? >> well, i mean first of all, the nfl failed to take action here because they worked hard to protect this owner. they launched an investigation only to cover up the findings. so the congress was forced to act. and congress has an interest in

seeing an american workplace that is free of harassment and abuse. so here, they did the hard work to come to the bottom of this, to expose what occurred, and have crafted legislation that will limit the abuse of ndas in the workplace, that allows a situation like this to occur over the course of two decades. >> do you think there is more to come from dan snide ner the investigation, what is your expectation, i because that is the signal and want to know more about that. >> this is a big step obviously. it is the first sprefb report we have seen detailing the toxic work environment and the interference but we still have an ongoing investigation run by a former federal prosecutor mar ji jo white who is looking into personal misconduct by mr.

snyder and financial improprieties by the teem and we expect that report will be released any time now and i think it will be only after that report is released that we have a full accounting of what has occurred and the ability to measure whether there's been true account ability. >> should dan snyder remain the owner of the washington commanders? i have a feeling i know what you will say but i want to hear it. >> no, not in my opinion, i think he has shown that he is not a good steward of this organization, or of the nfl, and i think it's time for washington and the nfl to move on. >> lisa banks, thank you very much for joining us this afternoon on a significant day, significant step forward for this congressional investigation. appreciate it. >> thank you. the big story of the day, the release of brittney griner, and new video that we are just getting in now from russian state tv. we've just been cleared to play it for you. we will do that. look at this. a newly-released brittney griner, getting on a plane to come back to the united states. you will see viktor bout getting off the plane.

the united arab emirates and getting on a russian plane. you see him here. mike memoli is joining us from the white house. we will play whatever clips we can. like i said just coming in from russian state tv. but these are the images, right, of not just viktor bout's release, and his return back home to russia, but brittney griner's release as well. >> reporter: yes, hallie, i mean this is really bringing to life the kind of tiktok, the details we've been getting all day, from white house officials, about how this prisoner exchange finally played out. we know the u.s. special envoy with hostage affairs was on the tarmac as well, and this of course, from russian state television is notable, and i was just speaking in fact a few minutes ago with the senior administration official, and they said as part of the very, obviously, fragile, sensitive negotiates, that were going on, between both parties, throughout this process, there was a discussion frankly about whether

they would include cameras from either side to capture this moment. ultimately, on the u.s. side, they decided to protect brittney griner's privacy, that they would not necessarily send a camera of their own, but the russian state television presence shows you that russia had a very different view of what they wanted to show. so we know from the russian side, the russian foreign minister saying that viktor bout has arrived back in russia. we're still waiting word that brittney griner has touched down here on american soil. but these very interesting pictures, explaining and giving us the first real photo insight into how this all played out. the long end of a really 10-month or deal, and months of intense negotiations between both sides. >> just so people know what they're looking at, brittney griner in the red jacket there, mike, thank you very much. i want to bring in now the sister of another american who was not part of that prisoner swap, paul whelan, who remains overseas, imprison bid russia. elizabeth whelan joins us now. thank you very much for being back on the show.

>> thank you so much. i appreciate being on here today. >> i understand that you have just gotten off the phone with your family and president biden and i know you can't share many details of what he said, but broad strokes, what can you tell us, and how are you feeling after this call? >> well, it's always good to talk to the president. he was very reassuring that we're going to continue this fight to bring paul home. you know, the russians are in this business of one for one, and our family is delighted to see brittney griner coming home. that's just amazing. any time a wrongfully detained american is returned, that's a cause for celebration. but the russians dividing everyone up, and holding on to paul still, it is something that needs to be stopped. and so my discussion with everyone in the u.s. government in the last 24 hours has been how do we bring this to an end and get my brother home. >> have you seen answers that satisfy you on that front? >> i won't say answers, i mean

if there was a plan available, i think they would have already put it into play, but i believe everyone is highly committed, and is doubling down on that commitment to get paul home. and i'm doubling down on my commitment to push them to make that happen. i can't believe it's been almost four years. you know, the fsb set paul up on december 28th, 2018, and ever since then, he has been enduring russian prisons for a crime he didn't commit, while the russian authorities are messing about with the u.s. government, trying to score points. and we have to bring it to an end. >> did president biden give you any sense of time line when paul might be able to get home? >> no, i mean unfortunately, once an american has been wrongfully detained, the time line is up to whatever that foreign country, that hostile foreign nation is doing. i wish there was a time line. i wish i knew when paul would be home. i can't imagine what he's going

through, and he's been extremely courageous under the circumstances. >> one of the things that we've seen here, and it has been this as if you're sitting next to me in washington here on the set talking about, this is the idea of what is the mechanism that gets him out, especially at this point now, is it your understanding based on the conversations that you've had, that it would be another prisoner swap, that that would be the only avenue to get him out? >> i'm not sure. you know, i can't really even speculate on that, because you know, some of the details of course aren't being shared with me, a lot of the details aren't being shared with me perhaps, but i don't know what it's going to take. all i know is that we have to try something perhaps different, because what we don't need are any more americans being wrongfully detained. so that's what i'm going to be encouraging everyone to investigate, is how do we find another way to go about this. >> did you encourage president biden to do just that, elizabeth? to try to do something different? >> absolutely.

one thing that the u.s. government officials know is that i will talk plainly to them about this situation. >> are you confident, and i've heard what you said about this phone call with the president, and i know that you are, again, fresh off of it, so i don't mean to put you on the spot here, but are you confident that president biden himself is doing everything he can to get your brother out? >> yes, yes, i have had no doubt. this administration in the start has been really committed to seeing wrongful detainees come home from around the world, not just from russia, but it doesn't give them the power just to make that happen. they can't just wave a magic wand regardless of what level of commitment is here. and people throughout the entire time of paul's incarceration have been trying to get him home. i have no doubt that that effort is going to remain front and center, and as part of our family's job to make sure that it does. >> did anything you have heard from president biden, elizabeth, surprise you?

>> well, i don't think, that's probably one of those deals that i should probably go into, i'm sure you understand. >> i have to ask and i do understand. let me ask you about. this you're talking about your continued advocacy and commitment, and you have been a part of it, along with your other brother david to try to get paul out. we've heard from cherelle griner, a lot of high profile athletes, bringing attention to her case, athletes, commissioners of sports leagues starting to raise the pressures back in roughly may to try to get her home in a very public way. cherelle griner is making a compliment that that advocacy will continue with paul. let's play what she had to say. >> we will remain committed to the work of getting every american home, including paul, whose family is in our parties today, as we celebrate bg being home, we do understand that there are still people out here who are enduring what i enzured for the last nine months, of

missing, tremendously their loved ones. >> and with their support, are you at all concerned that it may be harder to keep public attention on paul, now that bg, brittney griner is free? >> to begin with, that was an amazing thing that cherelle said, it brought a tear to my eye and it still is. the people, the families who are advocating for their loved ones, who are wrongfully detained, you know, we just all have so much fellow feeling for each other, and that's incredibly find for her to say. paul is not a celebrity. and brittany is a celebrity. and the fact of the matter is it is of course we hope it gets more attention. and we hope the media and the general public and certainly the u.s. government has a greater understanding of wrongful detention. over the years, more and more americans are held in different countries around the world, iran and china and it goes on and on

and we need everyone's attention and commitment to all of these cases, not just paul's, to get everyone home. it is really important. >> this is still emotional for you, elizabeth and i wonder what, i can't imagine to get that phone call yesterday, yet another american plane or yet another plane was coming back to america with somebody on it and it was not paul. do you think he can replay that moment? >> the state department sent someone to speak with me at my home and tell me that news, which i greatly appreciated it so it wouldn't be a surprise as it was when trevor was released. that helped a lot. it helped us to, you know, to be able to think about it, and to process that, and the call was made by a senior official to paul as well to let him know that this was going to be happening. and you know, the reality is that if it was within the control of the people we're working with, paul would have been home months ago, perhaps years ago. it's not. it's in russian control.

and we need to kick the hornet's nest and do something to free this logjam and make sure that we can continue to have what discussion is needed that results in paul's release. >> i know your parents have had a chance to speak with paul. have you? >> no, no i haven't. but i send messages back and forth. paul is relatively restricted in who he is allowed to call. >> how do you feel with all of this? >> how does he deal with all of this? >> he has been very strong and resilient and very courageous and i don't know he is doing it because i would be throwing a fit. >> elizabeth whelan, thank you very much. and i appreciate you sharing what you can about your phone call with president biden just moments ago, here on msnbc, and it is always good to have you on, we hope to continue to have you on hopefully for not too much longer, elizabeth and i know a lot of people are thinking about you and your family. >> thank you. i hope we celebrate sooner. thank you. still ahead, we will stay on

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prisoner exchange. i want to bring in a friend of brittney griner, the coach of the new york liberty. >> thank you for having me. >> i have to think you were beyond thrilled to hear the news this morning. >> yeah, that's -- that's really true there, i mean, just so emotional, to be quite honest. there was a lot of tears, but tears of joy, and just very happy and relieved that b.g. is coming home, and no one can understand just what she's been through these last nine months. >> i understand you wrote letters to griner when she was in prison. what was your message to her then, what will you tell her when you see her now? >> well, i don't know if i'll be able to speak, i'm still emotional, but you know, i'll probably just give her a big hug, to be quite honest, and, you know, thankful for all the -- what the players have done, i mean, the wnba players using their voice, the nba, just getting behind it.

obviously appreciate everything that president biden has done with the administration to get her home. and just, you know, just very happy. i'll just give her a big hug and just tell her, she didn't give up hope, and i'm glad that and i think her basketball career has hopefully helped to get through the last nine months. >> yeah. you mean because of just the idea of mental discipline and being able to know that people are there for her, her teammates, et cetera. >> yeah, look, i suppose, as a basketball player, you have so many highs and low us. that's part of life. but it really prepares you for life. winning and losing, as silly as that is, it helps you get mentally tougher. and b.g., the people that know her, she brings so much joy to so many people. she has this big heart. she gives back so much. and, you know, this has to be difficult, but i would hope that, you know, some of those traits that she's learned by being a basketball player has helped getting through a really

terrible -- it's like a nightmare. >> certainly. pulling back a little bit here, sandy, one of the reasons b.g. was in russia was in the first place was in part because of the pay disparities for women basketball players versus the men's leagues. they go in the offseason to do this. do you think that with all of this, do you anticipate americans playing basketball in russia? i mean, does this basically shut that down? >> yes. i mean, without saying, i mean, you would hope it would. look, i coached in russia, too, as well, for the team that b.g. played for. >> you understand that. >> i do. you create a lot of money there and players get there because they're not earning as much in the wnba, but wnba is trying to change that, but i do not think americans will go back to russia and play, and they shouldn't. >> you won't, right? >> no. i'm a bit old now to play, but i certainly won't go back to coach. >> on the coaching front, right. >> i had a great experience when i was there for five years, it was good, we were treated well, but this is a total different situation, and very unfortunate

situation, but i like said, in the end, i'm just thankful that b.g. is coming home. >> >> do you think we'll see her on a basketball court again at some point? >> i really don't know. i think right now, b.g. needs to rest and recover and be with her wife and her family and, you know, i'm sure -- you know, mentally, emotionally, physically, it's a long way for her to decide if she wants to play again. so, i think it's in her court, yeah, i'd love to see her back on, but if she doesn't play again, that's not a problem at all. >> i imagine you are just so incredibly excited to see her at some point, sandy, and to throw your arms around her and give her a big embrace. >> yeah. it will be a special moment when we get to see her and obviously her family is her priority now, but she is loved by many people in the wnba, the nba, as well, so, yeah, it will be a very long hug. >> sandy, thank you so much, we can imagine that for sure. thank you for being on with us. thank you for watching.

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