Abdelrahman
Donald Trump Celebrates the Return of American Teacher Marc Fogel from Russia
Former President Donald Trump praised the return of American educator Marc Fogel after his release from a Russian prison, commenting that Russia’s President Vladimir Putin received "not much" in return for Fogel’s release.
Trump announced that another detainee would be freed on Wednesday but did not disclose their identity. Fogel, a 63-year-old ex-diplomat, arrived at Joint Base Andrews near Washington, D.C., late Tuesday before proceeding to the White House.
The release was part of a negotiated exchange with Russia, according to U.S. National Security Advisor Mike Waltz. As of now, Russia has not issued any statements concerning Fogel’s release.
During a White House appearance with Fogel, Trump remarked, "To me, he looks absolutely great." He elaborated that this release could serve as a "show of good faith" from Russia and potentially lead to significant progress in resolving the conflict in Ukraine. "We were treated very well by Russia," he added, expressing hope that this breakthrough could facilitate peace and stop the ongoing violence that has claimed countless lives since Russia began its invasion of Ukraine nearly three years ago.
Trump characterized the prisoner exchange negotiations as "very fair" and indicated that another individual would be released the following day. Fogel expressed his overwhelming relief and joy, stating, "I feel like the luckiest man on Earth right now. I’m a middle-class teacher who’s now in a dream world."
Fogel’s sister, Anne, shared with the BBC that her brother, detained since 2021, was transferred last Wednesday from a penal colony in Rybinsk. Although the family was aware of the possibility of his release, Anne noted that the negotiations were precarious.
Upon his arrival in the U.S., the White House took to social media platform X, posting: "PROMISES MADE, PROMISES KEPT!" along with a photograph of Fogel.
In a statement issued to CBS News, Fogel’s wife, Jane, and their sons, Ethan and Sam, said, "This has been the darkest and most painful period of our lives, but today, we begin to heal."
Fogel was arrested at an airport for the illegal possession of cannabis in 2021, having been charged for carrying a small amount of medical marijuana that was legally prescribed in the U.S. He received a lengthy 14-year prison sentence.
Fogel’s legal team expressed gratitude to Trump for his pivotal role in facilitating the negotiations and criticized the Biden administration for what they described as "bureaucratic inaction." They highlighted that Trump acted swiftly to bring Fogel back home, in contrast to the delays experienced under the current administration. Notably, Fogel was not classified as wrongfully detained by the U.S. government until December 2024, despite starting his sentence in 2022. The family had pushed for the Biden administration’s intervention but were disappointed when Fogel was not included in past prisoner exchanges.
In a similar case, U.S. basketball player Brittney Griner was arrested in Russia on a comparable cannabis charge in 2022 but was released 10 months later in an exchange for Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout. Subsequently, the Biden administration successfully negotiated the release of three more Americans last year in a major prisoner swap, which included journalist Evan Gershkovich, Marine veteran Paul Whelan, and radio journalist Alsu Kurmasheva.
Anne Fogel previously expressed feelings of betrayal when her brother was excluded from the high-profile exchange that President Biden had celebrated as a significant diplomatic accomplishment.
Marc Fogel, a former teacher at the Anglo-American School in Moscow and ex-U.S. diplomat, reportedly taught English to fellow inmates while incarcerated. It remains unclear if any U.S. citizen was released in exchange for Fogel.
Fogel returned to the U.S. alongside Steve Witkoff, who serves as Trump’s special envoy to the Middle East. Witkoff’s visit marked the first trip by a senior U.S. official to Russia in several years, as most communication between the two nations has been severely restricted following the invasion of Ukraine.
Waltz stated that Fogel’s release represented a positive indication towards ending the brutal conflict in Ukraine but did not divulge any further specifics. Trump also announced that Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent would visit Ukraine later in the week. Throughout his presidential campaign, Trump pledged to resolve the war in Ukraine within 24 hours; however, he recently indicated that the outcome remains uncertain.
When asked by the BBC about the connection officials drew between Fogel’s release and the war in Ukraine, Anne remarked, "These are the giant machinations of world politics at play. It’s going to be interesting to look back at this to see how it all fits and how history unfolds."
