FALLOUT

Snowden’s Lawyer Denies Extradition Report

NBC reported Russia was considering “gifting” Snowden to President Trump.

NSA leaker Edward Snowden’s lawyer has denied NBC News’ report that Russia is considering “gifting” Snowden to President Donald Trump by sending him back to the United States. “Russia has no legal basis to hand over Snowden,” Anatoly Kucherena, Snowden’s attorney in Russia, told Interfax. “All this talk is just ordinary speculation. Someone is indulging in wishful thinking.” Immediately following the NBC report, Snowden wrote on Twitter on Friday that “no country trades away spies, as the rest would fear they’re next.” Snowden’s residency license in the country was extended last month until 2020. The NBC report said an effort by Russia to extradite Snowden would be done in order to “curry favor” with Trump.