Parents of Ex-Marine Held in Russia Protest Outside White House, Say Biden Promised Meeting 22 Days Ago Then Went Quiet
The parents of Trevor Reed, a former US Marine who has been detained in Russia since 2019, protested outside the White House on Wednesday, calling for a meeting with President Biden that they say was “promised.”
“It was 22 days ago when the president said that he would have someone call us immediately when he got back to DC and set it up,” Paula Reed, Trevor’s mother, told CNN.
“The office staff have not called us. And we wanted to be here to bring attention to Trevor’s case and to let them know that we did not forget. We’re waiting for that phone call and we want the meeting the president promised us.”
Paula and her husband, Joey, are stationed in front of the North Lawn of the White House, wearing T-shirts with their son’s image printed on them along with the legend: “Free Trevor Reed: Wrongfully Imprisoned by Russia since 2019.” They also hung a large red banner with Trevor’s image and the same text.
The Reeds intend to stay outside the White House until Friday, though Paul Reed told CNN Wednesday that “if we need to stay longer, we might do that.”
Trevor Reed was sentenced to nine years in prison in July 2020 after being convicted of assaulting two Russian police officers after he reportedly became blackout drunk at a party the previous year. Reed’s family and supporters say he was convicted of trumped-up charges so the Kremlin could use him as a political bargaining chip.
On Wednesday, Reed’s parents said Trevor had embarked on a hunger strike to protest his treatment by Russian officials — the second one since he began his sentence.
“Trevor had some injury where he thinks he might have a broken rib. Plus, he has all the symptoms of active tuberculosis. He went to a prison hospital for about 10 days. And they didn’t treat him,” Joey Reed said.
Reed’s father added that his son requested to stay in the hospital but was instead put in solitary confinement. While in prison, Trevor, 30, has been coughing up blood and has “something protruding out of his side,” his father claimed.
The only treatment Reed has reportedly been provided with is aspirin.
Biden spoke with the former Marine’s family over the phone earlier this month, after failing to meet face-to-face during a trip to Texas.
According to the White House, the president reiterated “his commitment to doing everything he can to bring their son home.”
At the time, press secretary Jen Psaki indicated that while an in-person meeting didn’t happen during the president’s visit, the White House was “working on a time for the president to meet with his family over the short term.”
“I don’t have a time or date on that or anything like that, but that is something we are going to work toward,” she told reporters.
The White House did not immediately respond to The Post’s request for comment.
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