Joe Biden has said that the United States is considering dropping the charges against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange.
In February, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese supported a motion from parliament calling for Assange’s return to Australia.
On Wednesday, Biden was asked by a reporter about Albanese’s request.
Biden replied, “We’re considering it.”
Video of Joe Biden replying ‘we’re considering it’ to a reporter asking whether the US will drop the charges against Julian Assange
Did he mean to say this? Or was this another slip-up? https://t.co/N3cmlaCjus https://t.co/HQoVUKmoyc pic.twitter.com/lCDtiQp572
— Afshin Rattansi (@afshinrattansi) April 10, 2024
Assange’s wife Stella responded on X, writing, “Do the right thing. Drop the charges.”
Do the right thing. Drop the charges. #FreeAssangeNOW
“Biden says he’s ‘considering’ wrapping up Julian Assange prosecution” – reports @washtimeshttps://t.co/HtHXVvt4Ub
— Stella Assange #FreeAssangeNOW (@Stella_Assange) April 10, 2024
Assange has been held at Belmarsh prison in London since April 2019 as the US government works to extradite him. Before his arrest, he had been living in the Ecuadorian Embassy with asylum since June 2012.
He is currently facing charges under the Espionage Act for publishing the Iraq and Afghan War Logs. If convicted, the publisher could face a maximum sentence of 175 years in prison for publishing the leaked materials.
Assange’s extradition has been on hold since March when London’s High Court said the US must assure the court that he will not face the death penalty.