President Donald Trump had a tense exchange with reporters on Wednesday as he left the White House for a rally in South Carolina, just as Russia freed American teacher Stephen Hubbard. CNN's Kaitlan Collins pressed him on why he waived sanctions on Russia, and Trump answered that if he had imposed them, Hubbard would not be coming home. When Collins followed up on whether the waiver was given in exchange for Hubbard's release, Trump called her a "dummy" and a "low-IQ person" and pointed out that she works for CNN. ABC's Karen Travers asked a similar question, and Trump replied by asking whether she was a "stupid person." Neither reporter received a direct answer on whether anything was given in return.

Trump's argument is that new sanctions in the middle of delicate negotiations would have ended the effort to free a long-held American. He and envoy Steve Witkoff have both said the release was not a prisoner swap. But reporters keep asking how tying the waiver to Hubbard's freedom differs from giving Russia something in exchange, especially since Trump has also waived some sanctions and agreed to buy Russian diesel. The waiver has drawn criticism from both Democrats and Republicans. What Moscow gets in return, and whether more releases are coming, are questions the White House has not yet answered.