On CNN Wednesday, David Whelan got a question about a joke his brother Paul, a retired Marine detained in Russia, made about CNN.
David decried Russia’s decision to arrest his brother on espionage charges, telling host Alisyn Camerota there is not "any chance" Paul is a spy, according to a a clip flagged by Mediaite. He demurred on whether Paul’s arrest could be retaliation for U.S. authorities convicting Russian spy Maria Butina, and then Camerota asked why Paul called CNN "fake news" one time on social media.
Camerota brought up Paul's VKontakte account, a popular social media platform in Russia, and asked about a picture Paul posted of himself outside a CNN building in 2017, captioned "Drinking coffee and watching fake news." Camerota said in response to the post that she was "not taking [it] personally."
"Is this a statement on his part, somehow?" Camerota asked.
"I don’t really know. I don’t know what’s on his VKontakte page, I don’t really follow him on social media other than on Twitter, which is where I am, so I don’t know what he was intending by those photos," David replied.
"Why do you think he did have a VK account?" Camerota asked.
David said his brother had met Russians over the course of his life, in which he has traveled as a Marine and a businessman.
"He met people while he traveled around, and he connected with them on social media," David said.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Wednesday the U.S. is seeking access to Paul Whelan to gather more information, calling for Whelan's "immediate return" if there's no basis to the arrest. Soon after, Russian officials said they have granted consular access to the U.S. and Whelan.
Camerota also showed a picture from 2006 when Whelan took a picture in Moscow. She did not articulate a question about the picture, and David said he and his family want Paul to be allowed to come home.
The Whelan family said Paul was in Moscow for a friend’s wedding when he was arrested.