US Man Who Was Held in Russia Has Been Released

American teacher Marc Fogel has returned home after being held in Russia for several years.

Quick Takes

Marc Fogel was detained in Russia in August 2021 for possessing medically prescribed marijuana.
President Donald Trump welcomed Fogel back to the U.S. after negotiating his release.
Fogel was serving a 14-year sentence in Russia before his release.
The deal involved a prisoner exchange, with a Russian citizen to be released from a U.S. prison.

Fogel’s Ordeal and Homecoming

Marc Fogel, an American teacher who had been imprisoned in Russia since August 2021, has finally returned home. Fogel was detained for bringing medically prescribed marijuana into Russia, where he had been working at the Anglo-American School in Moscow. He was serving a 14-year sentence for this offense, which he maintained was for treating chronic back pain.

Upon his arrival in the United States, Fogel was greeted by President Donald Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and House Speaker Mike Johnson. The White House celebrated his return with enthusiasm, posting on social media: “MARC FOGEL IS BACK!!! PROMISES MADE, PROMISES KEPT!!!” A photograph released by the White House showed Fogel, wrapped in an American flag, smiling and raising his fist in triumph.

Marc Fogel, released by Russia, arrives back in U.S., stops at the White House to meet with President Trump https://t.co/Oz6QDzJRgM

— CBS Evening News (@CBSEveningNews) February 12, 2025

Negotiation and Release

The details of the agreement with Russia were not initially disclosed, but a U.S. official reportedly said the deal was a prisoner exchange involving the release of cybercrime kingpin Alexander Vinnik to Russian custody. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov also mentioned that a Russian citizen would be released from a U.S. prison as part of the arrangement but has not identified Vinnik.

Fogel expressed his immense gratitude towards Trump and all those involved in his release. He described Trump as “a hero” and stated, “I am in awe of what they all did.” Trump, in turn, described the deal as “very fair, very reasonable.”

Implications and Future Prospects

Mike Waltz, Trump’s national security adviser, confirmed that Fogel’s release was the result of a negotiated exchange with Russia. Waltz suggested that this deal could be a positive step towards ending the conflict in Ukraine. President Trump has expressed his intention to broker an end to the Russia-Ukraine war within the first 100 days of his new administration.

The U.S. government has facilitated a number of prisoner swaps over the years in an effort to bring home Americans it has deemed wrongly detained in other countries. This includes the recent release of six Americans from Venezuela. Trump has also announced that another hostage release would be revealed soon.

The successful negotiation for Fogel’s release has been celebrated by many, including Pennsylvania senators John Fetterman and Dave McCormick. Fogel’s legal team praised the administration for their efforts in freeing him.