After a January 12th tweet from WikiLeaks saying that Assange would agree to be extradited to the U.S. if the Obama administration granted "clemency" to Chelsea Manning, attorneys for Assange seem to be backtracking today on an alleged technicality.

Here was the "official offer" from WikiLeaks:

If Obama grants Manning clemency Assange will agree to US extradition despite clear unconstitutionality of DoJ case https://t.co/MZU30SlfGK — WikiLeaks (@wikileaks) January 12, 2017

But, according to new comments today from his U.S. attorney, the offer from Assange implicitly required an immediate release of Chelsea Manning. Therefore, at least according to Assange's attorney, Obama's decision to release Manning from his 35-year sentence in "May" is "well short of what he sought." Per The Hill:

“Mr. Assange welcomes the announcement that Ms. Manning's sentence will be reduced and she will be released in May, but this is well short of what he sought,” said Barry Pollack, Assange’s United State’s attorney. “Mr. Assange had called for Chelsea Manning to receive clemency and be released immediately.”

Now, without passing judgement on the merits of the DOJ case against Assange, and while we're not ones to split hairs, the tweet above doesn't reference an immediate release and neither does any definition of "clemency" to our knowledge. Per the Merriam-Webster dictionary, clemency is defined simply as follows:

1. disposition to be merciful and especially to moderate the severity of punishment due 2. an act or instance of leniency

Then came the following tweet from WikiLeaks saying that "Assange is still happy to come to the US" on the condition that "all his rights are guaranteed"...a condition that we suspect will never be met to the complete satisfaction of Assange's attorneys.

Assange is still happy to come to the US provided all his rights are guarenteed despite White House now saying Manning was not quid-quo-pro. — WikiLeaks (@wikileaks) January 18, 2017

Of course, comments from Assange and his attorneys today seem to offer a very different tone from WikiLeaks' initial tweets yesterday which celebrated the commutation of Manning's sentence and confirmed that Assange was "standing by" his proposed "extradition 'deal'".

Assange is confident of winning any fair trial in the US. Obama's DoJ prevented public interest defense & fair jury. https://t.co/Mb6gXlz7QS — WikiLeaks (@wikileaks) January 17, 2017

Statement from Julian #Assange regarding decision of President Obama to commute the sentence of Chelsea Manning pic.twitter.com/HKtbs0pOpF — Melinda Taylor (@theMTchair) January 18, 2017

Assange lawyer @themtchair on Assange-Manning extradition 'deal': "Everything that he has said he's standing by." — WikiLeaks (@wikileaks) January 18, 2017

VICTORY: Obama commutes Chelsea Manning sentence from 35 years to 7. Release date now May 17. Background: https://t.co/HndsbVbRer — WikiLeaks (@wikileaks) January 17, 2017

Something tells us Assange will not be visiting the U.S. anytime in the near future.