The State Department has a clear position on Dennis Rodman’s trip to Russia

NBA legend Dennis Rodman made waves over the weekend when he announced plans to travel to Russia to visit WNBA star Brittney Griner, who was sentenced to nine years in prison on drug charges.

Rodman told NBC News over the weekend that he “got permission” to travel to Russia “to help a girl.” He did not explain who gave him the green light to travel to Russia.

On Monday, State Department spokesman Ned Price was asked about Rodman’s travel plans.

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Dennis Rodman
(Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)

We have seen in the media and in fact in the media that Dennis Rodman intends to travel to Russia. He – I want to be clear, he is – he was not traveling on his behalf. The United States government.

I have repeated what we have said over the past several weeks. We made a big proposal to Russia to demand the freedom of Paul Whelan and Brittany Greener. We believe that anything else is possible other than negotiating more through the established channel. To complicate and hinder those extradition efforts, we have issued very clear guidance to American citizens because of the many threats, not the least of which is the risk of wrongful arrest, that Americans should not travel to Russia. That was ours. A message to private Americans across the board.

The State Department has a Level 4 travel advisory to warn Americans about traveling to Russia.

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WNBA star and two-time Olympic gold medalist Brittany Griner is escorted from court after a hearing in Khimki, near Moscow, Russia, Aug. 4, 2022.
(AP Photo/Alexander Zemlyanchenko)

“Do not travel to Russia due to the unprovoked and unjustified invasion of Ukraine by Russian military forces, the possible harassment of American citizens by Russian government security officials, the arrest of Russian government security officials, including the arrest of US citizens in Russia, the arbitrary enforcement of local laws, to Russia and “Restricted outbound flights, limited ability of the Embassy to assist US citizens in Russia, restrictions related to Covid-19 and terrorism,” the warning read. “US citizens living or traveling in Russia should leave Russia immediately. Beware of wrongful arrest.”

Price said last week that the agency had classified Griner as “wrongfully arrested.” He was asked about Griner and a potential prisoner swap with Russia, which could include convicted arms dealer Victor Bout and another American held in Russia, Paul Whelan.

“No part of this trial will change our judgment that Brittany Griner has been wrongfully imprisoned and that she should be released immediately,” Price said. “That is why we put forward the serious, important proposal to release Paul Whelan as well several weeks ago, and what we will do to seek her release.

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“We are meeting with the Russians on this issue, and we encourage them to pursue this constructively.”

Griner’s lawyers in Russia appealed her conviction. She was arrested in February for bringing vape cartridges containing cannabis-derived oils into a Moscow airport. She pleaded guilty and was sentenced on August 4.

WNBA star and two-time Olympic gold medalist Brittany Griner drinks water as she listens to the verdict in a courtroom in Khimki, outside Moscow, Russia, Aug. 4, 2022.
(Evgenia Novozhenina/Pool Photo via AP)

Rodman has a history of meeting world leaders.

Rodman He met North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un in 2013 and was among the first Americans to meet him. The former Chicago Bulls star wrote a letter to Kim in January 2014, and 10 months later, American Kenneth Bae was released, according to TMZ Sports. After Bey’s release, Rodman made a few appearances around the country.

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In the year In 2014, Rodman described Putin as “cool” in an interview on FOX Business. He said he was not talking about Putin’s politics. Putin said they left hand in hand during their visit to Russia.