Marc Fogel, an American teacher detained in Russia since 2021, has been released and is on his way home after Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, traveled to Moscow for negotiations, the White House announced on February 11.
Fogel, a 66-year-old former U.S. diplomat, was arrested at a Russian airport in 2021 for possessing medical marijuana that was legally prescribed in the U.S. Despite his claims, he was sentenced to 14 years in prison.
Behind-the-Scenes Negotiations
National Security Advisor Mike Waltz confirmed that Fogel’s release was part of a negotiated deal with Russia but declined to provide details. Steve Witkoff and Trump’s hostage affairs envoy, Adam Boehler, were directly involved in the talks.
According to CNN sources, Witkoff leveraged his Middle Eastern connections to facilitate the agreement. Waltz described Fogel’s release as a goodwill gesture from Russia and a positive step toward ending the war in Ukraine.
The Russian government has not commented on the release.
Fogel’s sister, Anne, expressed overwhelming relief, saying, “I’ll be celebrating for the next 24 hours”. She revealed that the family had received word a week earlier that Fogel had been transferred from his prison in Rybinsk.
Fogel is expected to arrive at Joint Base Andrews, near Washington, D.C., on the night of February 11, where he will reunite with his wife and children.
"We have endured the darkest and most painful years of our lives, but today marks the beginning of our healing journey," Fogel’s wife and sons, Ethan and Sam, said in a statement.
Trump Administration Takes Credit
Fogel’s legal team praised President Trump for securing his release, criticizing bureaucratic delays under the Biden administration.
"President Trump secured Marc Fogel’s release in just a few weeks, acting decisively rather than wasting time," his lawyers said.
Although Fogel had been imprisoned since 2022, the Biden administration did not classify him as wrongfully detained until December 2024. His family had repeatedly urged former President Biden to intervene, but he was left out of prisoner swap deals in 2022 and 2024.
Trump Welcomes Freed American Citizen at White House
President Donald Trump personally welcomed Marc Fogel to the White House after his release from Russia, braving the snow to greet him outside.
Fogel arrived at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland late on February 11 before traveling to the White House, where he met with Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and House Speaker Mike Johnson.
In a live-streamed video from the White House, Trump and senior officials stood at the North Portico to receive Fogel. As soon as Fogel stepped out of his car, the 78-year-old president walked out from under the shelter to shake his hand, ask about his health, and congratulate him on his freedom.
"I feel like the luckiest man in the world right now," Fogel said in a press conference at the Diplomatic Reception Room, calling Trump a hero.
"I was just an ordinary schoolteacher, but now I feel like I’m living in a dream," he added.
A Secretive Exchange with Russia
The White House has not disclosed details of the deal with Moscow, and Trump declined to explain how the agreement was reached, only calling it a “very fair and reasonable deal”. He also did not confirm whether he had spoken directly with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Fogel, a history teacher at the Anglo-American School in Moscow, was arrested in 2021 for carrying 17 grams of marijuana, which he said was legally prescribed to treat chronic back pain. Despite this, he was sentenced to 14 years in prison.
His family repeatedly urged the Biden administration to push harder for his release.
"We are incredibly grateful, relieved, and emotional that after more than three years in captivity, our husband, father, and son, Marc Fogel, is finally home—thanks to President Trump’s unwavering leadership," the family said in a statement.
Fogel’s attorneys, Martin De Luca and Andrew Smith, also praised Trump’s role in the negotiations, calling his leadership "decisive and historic."
"For years, the previous administration stalled and refused to acknowledge Marc as wrongfully detained. President Trump brought him home in just a few weeks," the lawyers emphasized.
Fogel’s mother, Malphine, had criticized the Biden administration for delaying his official designation as a wrongfully detained American, a crucial step for diplomatic negotiations with Russia.
(Sources: BBC, CNN, CBS, AFP)
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