Marc Fogel, an American teacher wrongfully detained in Russia since 2021, has been released and is on his way home to reunite with his family, the White House announced on Tuesday. Fogel, a history teacher from Pennsylvania, was arrested in August 2021 and sentenced to 14 years in a Russian prison for possessing medically prescribed marijuana.
Steve Witkoff, a special envoy for President Donald Trump, accompanied Fogel on his flight out of Russian airspace and is expected to bring him home by the end of the day. The release follows months of diplomatic negotiations between the U.S. and Russia, though details of the agreement remain undisclosed.
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Fogel’s family expressed overwhelming relief and gratitude for his release, calling it the end of “the darkest and most painful period of our lives.” In a statement, they said, “For the first time in years, our family can look forward to the future with hope.”
Fogel was designated as wrongfully detained by the Biden administration in December 2021, a classification that underscored the U.S. government’s belief that his arrest and imprisonment were unjust. His case drew widespread attention, with advocates and lawmakers urging the U.S. government to secure his release.
Mike Waltz, Trump’s national security adviser, confirmed that the U.S. and Russia “negotiated an exchange” to secure Fogel’s freedom. While Waltz did not elaborate on the terms of the deal, previous prisoner swaps have involved reciprocal releases of Russians held by the U.S. or its allies.
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Waltz described Fogel’s release as “a sign we are moving in the right direction to end the brutal and terrible war in Ukraine.” President Trump, who has vowed to find a resolution to the conflict, has made diplomatic engagement with Russia a key focus of his administration’s foreign policy.
While Fogel’s release is a significant victory, other Americans remain detained in Russia. Notably absent from last August’s massive prisoner swap—which freed Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich—was U.S.-Russian dual national Ksenia Khavana. Khavana was convicted of treason in August 2024 and sentenced to 12 years in prison for donating approximately $52 to a Ukrainian charity.
The Biden administration condemned Khavana’s conviction as “nothing less than vindictive cruelty,” and her case remains a point of contention in U.S.-Russia relations.
Fogel’s release marks a rare moment of diplomatic progress amid ongoing tensions between the U.S. and Russia. For Fogel’s family, it is a chance to rebuild their lives after years of uncertainty and anguish.
WALTZ’S Full Statement:
Today, President Donald J. Trump and his Special Envoy Steve Witkoff are able to announce that Mr. Witkoff is leaving Russian airspace with Marc Fogel, an American who was detained by Russia. President Trump, Steve Witkoff and the President’s advisors 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. Since President Trump’s swearing-in, he has successfully secured the release of Americans detained around the world, and President Trump will continue until all Americans being held are returned to the United States. By tonight, Marc Fogel will be on American soil and reunited with his family and loved ones thanks to President Trump’s leadership.
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