Donald Trump's Mostly False claim that $400 million payment to Iran was 'ransom'

Back in January, Iran released five American prisoners back to the United States. On the same day, the United States transferred $400 million in cash to Iran, holding onto the money until three of the freed Americans were in the air, on their way home.

Some critics of President Barack Obama’s foreign policy -- including Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump -- are putting the two happenings together and calling it a "ransom" payment. The administration denies that characterization.

"Iran, the world's top state sponsor of terrorism, has been put on the path to nuclear weapons, was given $400 million in ransom payment cash, where they just yesterday caught Obama in yet another lie," Trump said in an Aug. 21 speech in Michigan.

While some in the national security community might consider the transaction unsavory, ineffectual, or legally questionable, calling it "ransom" isn’t quite accurate....
http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2016/aug/24/donald-trump/donald-trump-calls-400-million-payment-iran-ransom/