Barack Obama Responds To Warmbier’s Death After Criticism From Trump, Parents

Barack Obama was blamed by Donald Trump for the tragic death of 22-year-old Otto Warmbier after he spent 17 months in a North Korea prison. It wasn’t just the president who thought Obama was culpable in the death of Warmbier, but the young man’s parents. After spending more than a year in a coma, the Ohio student died a week after returning to the United States. North Korea claims Otto was given a sleeping pill and was in a comatose state due to botulism. Doctors, however, say there was no evidence that he suffered from that condition. Moreover, food poisoning doesn’t result in brain damage.

Deadline reports that Obama’s spokesman, Ned Price, released a statement on the president’s behalf Tuesday regarding the Otto Warmbier’s death. He explained that there was “no higher priority no higher priority than securing the release of Americans detained overseas” during the Obama administration. Their commitment did mean the release of 10 Americans from North Korean custody while Obama was president.

“It is painful that Mr. Warmbier was not among them but our efforts on his behalf never ceased, even in the waning days of the administration, Price continued. “Our thought and prayers are with Mr. Warmbier’s family and all tho had the blessing of knowing him.”

Barack Obama didn’t attack Donald Trump in his issued statement, but let it be known that he had his own response to the criticism that he didn’t do enough to bring Otto Warmbier home from North Korea. Prior to Otto’s release, there were reports that the Obama wanted to keep negotiations quiet on the matter, and the student’s parents weren’t happy with handling things that way. When asked if he thought the last administration could’ve done more to bring back his son, Fred Warmbier said, “The results speak for themselves.”

Former President Barack Obama has issued a statement about American college student Otto Warmbier https://t.co/Mdew4wAP4k

— Deadline Hollywood (@DEADLINE) June 20, 2017

President Trump said the results would’ve “been different” had he been in charge at the time Otto was sentenced to 15 years of hard labor in North Korea.

Otto was convicted of attempting to steal a propaganda poster from a hotel in January 2016.

It’s unknown what Warmbier died from after being in the custody of the North Koreans. He showed no signs of physical violence, but some doctors believe it’s possible the student died of an infection or a blood clot. It’s impossible to know what the cause of death was, but specialists revealed that it had to do with a lack of oxygen reaching his brain.

Otto Warmbier dies days after being released by North Korea https://t.co/LV6oqcRTaV pic.twitter.com/CfFga0js0F

— POLITICO (@politico) June 20, 2017

Do you agree that Obama is responsible for the fate of Otto Warmbier?

[Featured Image by Scott Olson/Getty Images]