Republicans and right-wing media figures have found a litany of reasons to be mad about the release of WNBA star Brittney Griner , who was freed in a prisoner swap Thursday after nearly a year in the Kremlins clutches.

Much of their rhetoric centers on the bigoted assertion that Griner a Black, gay athlete who has been vocal about police brutality and racial justice is anti-American for being outspoken in politics, and therefore unworthy of rescue by the Biden administration.

Ex-President Donald Trump had one of the most aggressive attacks Thursday, writing on his social media platform Truth Social that Griner is a basketball player who openly hates our Country and that it was a stupid and unpatriotic embarrassment for the USA to free her in exchange for Viktor Bout, a notorious Russian arms dealer.

His comments were a not-so-subtle reference to Griners participation in protests against police brutality. Following the 2020 police killings of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, Griner, who plays for the Phoenix Mercury, joined many professional athletes in calling attention to their deaths by refusing to stand for the national anthem during games and calling for the anthem not to be played at all.

Trump wasnt the only GOP figure to harp on Griners protests Thursday.

I sure hope shell stand for the national anthem, Sen. Roger Marshall (R-Kan.) told reporters .