Biden gets White House in tear-filled moment to sing ‘Happy Birthday’ to daughter of freed Russian prisoner

WASHINGTON – President Biden led a crowd at the White House in a rendition of “Happy Birthday” for a daughter of one of the prisoners freed in a swap with Russia on Thursday, embracing her in a tear-filled moment at the end of what he called a “brutal ordeal.”

Biden called on attendees inside the State Dining Room at the White House to sing for Miriam Butorin, whose mother Alsu Kurmasheva was released from Russian custody a day before her 13th birthday – along with US permanent resident Vladimir Kara-Murza and US citizens Paul Whelan and Evan Gershkovich.

“As of today my administration has brought home over 70 Americans who were wrongfully detained or held hostage abroad,” the president declared, noting executive actions his administration had taken to enforce sanctions and travel bans on those who detained them.

“They never gave up hope. We can’t imagine what they’ve been through,” the president said of the freed prisoners and their families.

“Tomorrow’s a big day, the 13th birthday of Miriam,” he added, before pausing for a hug and to welcome her into “a tradition in the Biden family” by singing “Happy Birthday.”

Biden couldn’t help but lighten the mood after the song ended by slipping in a joke.

“Remember, no serious guys until you’re 30,” he said to scattered laughs from attendees. “God love ya.”

Butorin walked back and embraced her family members before wiping away a tear.

“Now she gets to celebrate with her mom. That’s what this is all about,” he added warmly.

The Biden administration via a series of executive actions has slapped sanctions and travel bans on several nations that have taken Americans hostage, leading to more than 70 prisoners later being freed.

On Thursday, Russia released a total of 16 prisoners in exchange for eight Russians held in Western nations — including Russian hitman Vadim Krasikov, who had been serving a life sentence in Germany for murder.

“I got home innocent people,” Biden responded when asked by the Daily Mail about the trade-off.

Of the 16 prisoners headed out of Russia, three were Americans and one was a permanent US green card holder. Five others were German and seven were Russian citizens that had been held captive in their own nation.

Whelan, a Marine Corps veteran, was jailed over unfounded espionage allegations in 2018, while Gershkovich, a Wall Street Journal reporter, had recently been sentenced to 16 years in prison on bogus spying charges.

Kurmasheva, a dual US-Russian citizen and reporter with Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty reporter; had been sentenced to more than six years for spreading supposedly false information about the Russian military.

Kara-Murza, a Washington Post columnist, had been charged and sentenced to 25 years in prison for treason after speaking out against the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

“Their brutal ordeal is over and they’re free,” the president celebrated after the four prisoners represented by the families at the White House were flown to Ankara, Turkey before their anticipated arrival in the US.

The prisoners’ release came just more than a week after Biden abandoned his 2024 re-election campaign, endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris to replace him at the top of the Democratic ticket.