White House: Iranian Prisoner Deal Will Not Incentivize Future Kidnappings

KARL: "Let me ask you. Now that this is the third time by my count that we have seen situation Americans where are being held and then freed in exchange for something else. We had five Taliban freed to get the release of Bowe Bergdahl. We had three convicted Cuban spies to get the release of Alan Gross, and now we have five Americans, who as you said, were illegally detained, improperly detained by the Iranian government, and freed and exchanged for seven who have been duly charged and convicted under American law. Doesn't this give an incentive for America's enemies to take Americans, either kidnap or imprison Americans, knowing full well that this administration has proved a willingness to give them something in return to get their release?" 
EARNEST: "On Cuba, Alan Gross was released as a humanitarian gesture --"
KARL: "Coincide exactly with the release of three convicted Cuban spies?"
EARNEST: "In exchange for U.S. intelligence asset that the Cuban government had been holding for quite some time. So that was essentially a spy swap."
KARL: "Alan Gross was a spy?"
EARNEST: "No, no, no. Alan Gross was not a spy."
KARL: "You said a spy swap."
EARNEST: "Let me finish."
KARL: "OK."
EARNEST: "Alan Gross was released as a humanitarian gesture by the Cuban government.There was an additional U.S. intelligence asset that was held by the Cuban government. That individual was released in exchange for the three other individuals that you referred to. There's also an exchange between the United States and Russia, a spy swap, that was engineered in 2010 or so I believe, and that related to a case of individuals that had it for treated the United States and were uprooted by our counterintelligence officials here. But, to go more directly to your question, John, the president believes strongly that pursuing diplomacy with the Iranians in a tough, principled way to secure the release of five Americans who were unjustly detained inside of Iran is in our national security interests and clearly in the interest of those individuals who have not had the opportunity -- who were separated from their families for years. What we saw was sentimentally a humanitarian gesture that was offered by the Iranians. We made a reciprocal humanitarian gesture by releasing seven individuals, six of whom were U.S. nationals who had either been tried and convicted of nonviolent crimes, essentially sanctions violations or the violations of the trade embargo the U.S. has in place against Iran. Three of those people have been convicted. The other four were still awaiting trial. But ultimately, the president believes this is a reflection of what can be accomplished when the United States pursues tough, principled diplomacy, even with countries like Iran, with whom we have significant and long-standing disagreements."