Biden calls wife of detained WNBA star Griner

STORY: As WNBA star Brittney Griner remains detained in Russia on drug charges, U.S. President Joe Biden tried to assure her loved ones that he is working hard on her release.

Biden telephoned Griner’s wife on Wednesday, two days after receiving a letter from the basketball star, who said she was “terrified” she might be there “forever.”

Speaking to Cherelle Griner, Biden described Brittney’s detention as "intolerable” – and read aloud a letter he is sending the WNBA star.

Griner, who had been playing for a Russian club during the off-season, was arrested at a Moscow airport on Feb. 17 when a search of her luggage allegedly revealed cannabis oil vape cartridges.

She went on trial last week and her next hearing is set for Thursday. If convicted on drug charges, she could face up to 10 years in prison.

Griner’s case has drawn heightened attention amid Russia's war in Ukraine, with Russian-U.S. relations at their worst point since the Cold War.