President Trump hailed Fogel’s release as an important step in improving US-Russian relations and ending the war in Ukraine.
Marc Fogel, a 63-year-old American teacher from Butler, Pennsylvania, has been released from a Russian prison after more than three years of detention. Fogel was arrested in August 2021 at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport for possessing approximately half an ounce of medical marijuana prescribed for chronic back pain. In June 2022, he was convicted of drug trafficking and sentenced to 14 years in a Russian penal colony.
His release was secured through negotiations led by Steve Witkoff, appointed by President Donald Trump as the United States Special Envoy to the Middle East. The White House views Fogel’s release as a positive step toward improving U.S.-Russia relations and potentially advancing peace negotiations in Ukraine.
Fogel’s family expressed immense relief and gratitude upon his return, after being frustrated with the Biden administration’s lackluster efforts to secure Fogel’s release. His mother, Malphine Fogel, had met with President Trump in July 2024, where he pledged to do everything possible to bring her son home.
"When I saw [Marc Fogel's] mother at a rally, she said, 'If you win, will you get my son out?' I promised her—she’s 95 years old—and I said, 'We’ll get him out,' and we got him out pretty quickly." –President Donald J. Trump 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/jQ681LMxgD
— President Donald J. Trump (@POTUS) February 12, 2025
Congressman Mike Kelly of Pennsylvania stated, “Today, President Trump, Secretary Rubio, and the Trump administration have fulfilled this promise. I want to thank President Trump for successfully securing Marc’s release and for reuniting the Fogel family.”
Home SWEET Home!!
Get it!
Oakmont Bakery makes it happen for “home town boy” Marc Fogel!
ALL proceeds will go to Fogel family!
Every penny!! pic.twitter.com/qvA4F5fvA4— Marty Griffin (@MartyGriffinKD) February 12, 2025
Fogel’s case had previously garnered attention due to concerns about the severity of his sentence and the U.S. government’s efforts to secure his release. In November 2022, a bipartisan group of House and Senate members urged the State Department to designate Fogel as wrongfully detained, a status that can expedite diplomatic efforts for release. Despite these appeals, Fogel was not included in earlier high-profile prisoner swaps, such as the exchange involving WNBA star Brittney Griner.
National Security Adviser Mike Waltz emphasized that Fogel’s release was part of a negotiated exchange with Russia, though specific details were not provided. In an impromptu news conference, President Trump noted that this exchange indicated progress toward ending the war in Ukraine.
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