Marc Fogel, American withheld in Russia, arrives back in us after being released

On By Littum

Watch Video: Russia releases Marc Fogel after Trump -Release Visiting, The White House says Washington – Marc Fogel, an American school teacher …

Watch video: Russia releases Marc Fogel after Trump -Release Visit, says the White House

Washington – Marc FogelAn American schoolteacher who had been held in Russia since 2021 arrived back on American soil late Tuesday night after the White House announced earlier in the day it had negotiated his release.

The White House released a photo of a jubilant fogel that goes out of a plane on the joint base Andrews in Maryland. Alongside him, the National Security Advisor of the White House Michael Waltz and Adam Boehler, the Trump Administration’s envoy for hostages.

President Trump had previously told journalists that he would greet Fogel in the White House late Tuesday night after his arrival.

Waltz had previously said that Steve Witkoff, Mr. Trump’s special envoy to the Middle East, left the Russian airspace with Fogel that served a 14-year-old judgment and was appointed as “unlawfully withheld” of the US late last year.

“President Trump, Steve Witkoff and the President’s advisers negotiated an exchange that serves as a show of good faith from the Russians and a sign we are moving in the right direction to end the brutal and terrible war in Ukraine,” he said in A statement. “Since President Trump’s Hværring, he has successfully secured the release of Americans detained worldwide and President Trump will continue until all Americans are being held are returned to the United States.”

The White House did not give details of what the United States gave up in the agreement with Russia.

Boehler had sent a previous photo of Fogel on the plane back to the United States:

Fogel, a history teacher from Pennsylvania, was arrested by Russian authorities at the Moscow airport in 2021. His family had said he had 17 grams of marijuana for medical reasons for treating chronic back pain.

His family had been pressing for Mr. Trump’s predecessor, former President Joe Biden, to secure his release, especially after Fogel was left out by prisoners swaps negotiated by the former administration. In December 2022 Russia released WNBA star Brittney laughs in one One-for-a-prisoner exchange For international arms dealer Viktor Bout.

Then last August, the Bid -Administration secured the release Of three more Americans from Russia – Wall Street Journal Reporter Evan GershkovichMarine Veteran Paul Whelan and Russian-American radio journalist Alsu Kurmasheva -As part of a 24-person prisoner exchange.

In addition to Fogel, this Agreement omitted several other Americans imprisoned in Russia, including musician Michael Travis LeakeUS Army Staff Sergeant Gordon Black and Russian-American ballerina Ksenia Karelina.

In a statement, Fogel’s family thanked Mr. Trump and other allies who fought for his release.

“We are very grateful, relieved and overwhelmed that after more than three years of detention, our father, husband and son, Marc Fogel, finally come home,” they said. “Thanks to the unwavering leadership of President Trump, Marc will soon be back on American soil, free of charge where he belongs. This has been the darkest and most painful period of our lives, but today we start to heal. “

Martin de Luca and Andrew Smith, Fogel’s legal team, also praised the president and his administration for their work to free him.

“Marc Fogel’s release is historically, long overdue and a testimony to the power of strong leadership,” they said. “After years of bureaucratic inaction, including consistent refusal to appoint Marc as unlawfully withheld, President Trump Marc’s release in just a few weeks and did not wasting time taking decisive actions to bring Marc home.”

Pennsylvania’s senators, John Fetterman and Dave McCormick, cheered Fogel’s release.

“Marc Fogel’s homecoming is long too late – and I know that the whole of Pennsylvania, especially his family, will welcome him back with open arms,” ​​Fetterman, a Democrat, wrote On X.

“I am excited that Marc Fogel is finally coming home after years of being unjustly held in Russia,” McCormick, a Republican, said in a post. “I have been working on the administration on this since the first day, and I am grateful to President Trump and Secretary Rubio for having delivered their commitment to free Marc. When I told Marc’s mother, Mafa, when we talked in August, we had to do everything to get Marc home, and it is a blessing that this day has finally come. “

Fogel’s mother, Malphine Fogel, had Criticized the bite and his administration for the delay in appointing her son as wrongfully withheld. This decision made by the Secretary of State and clears the way for state departmental offices and federal agencies to work together to develop a plan to ensure the release of a withheld.

She filed a trial against the state department last June, but the case was rejected. Malphine Fogel was set to draw more public attention to his son’s detention During a Rally on July 13 With Mr. Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania, but the campaign event increased when one Gunman opened fire on the crowd. The president and two others were wounded and a man was killed during the murder attempt.

“I should be on stage with him and he would name (Marc’s) name,” Malphine Fogel told CBS News Pittsburgh last July. “We would put it out for the whole world to hear. It didn’t happen because we didn’t get on stage. “

She met with Mr. Trump before the rally and said he promised to secure Marc Fogel’s release if elected for another period.