American teacher Marc Fogel released by Russia, says Trump admin

An American teacher detained by Russia is on his way back to American soil, Trump announced on Tuesday.

“Today, President Donald J. Trump and his special envoy Steve Witkoff are able to announce that Mr. Witkoff is leaving the Russian airspace with Marc Fogel, an American who was detained by Russia,” said national security adviser Mike Waltz in A statement.

“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,” Waltz added.

Marc Fogel, a history teacher from Pennsylvania, served a 14-year-old prison sentence after his arrest in August 2021 at a Russian airport to be in possession of drugs, as his family and supporters said were medically ordained marijuana.

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Fogel, 63, was appointed as wrongfully detained by the US government. In the nine years that led to his arrest, he taught at the Anglo-American school in Moscow.

Fogel’s mother, Malphine, told Fox News’ America reports that “it’s definitely a good day.”

“He called me earlier today and said he was at an airport in Moscow waiting to fly to Washington, DC,” she added. “It was a total surprise when he called.”

Fogel’s relatives also told Associated Press that they were “over grateful, relieved and overwhelmed” that he came home.

“This has been the darkest and most painful period of our lives, but today we start to heal,” they said. “For the first time this year, our family can look forward to the future with hope.”

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Waltz said in his statement that “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 will be returned to the United States.

“Tonight Marc Fogel will be on American soil and reunite with his family and dear thanks to President Trump’s leadership,” Waltz added.

Former CIA station manager and Fox News contributor Dan Hoffman called the release Tuesday a “major foreign policy success.

“Every time we are able to extract one of our citizens behind enemy lines in Russia, the administration is good to do this. Steven Witkoff has got a lot on his record right now with the Middle East, and it is incredibly impressively impressively impressively impressively impressively impressively impressively impressively To me, he was able to secure the release of Marc Fogel, “Hoffman told Fox News'” America Reports.

Fogel had been left out of a massive prisoner swap in August 2024, releasing several Americans, including the Wall Street Journal Reporter Evan Gershkovich and Company Security Director Paul Whelan.

Fogel was 1984 a candidate from the Indiana University of Pennsylvania.

“After graduation from IUP, Marc devoted his life – 36 years – to education,” the school’s president, Michael Driscoll, wrote last year. “He taught historical courses in schools participating by children of American diplomats in Colombia, Venezuela, Oman and Malaysia.”

Last summer Malphine Fogel met with Trump before taking the stage at the rally in Butler, Pa., Ending early due to the murder attempt, According to WTAE.

“I said, don’t forget his name,” Malphine Fogel told the station. “I probably had five minutes and I have trouble walking, so I had a sugar cane with me or go with me and he said hanging on my arm and I did and I stood next to him, And then I told him what my mission was. “

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“He said,” We get him out. ”, She added.

Fox News’ Landon Mion and Associated Press contributed to this report.