By Guest 
How President Trump fulfilled a personal promise to bring American teacher Marc Fogel home after his 3.5-year imprisonment in Russia? Emotional reunion, the diplomatic efforts, and what this release means for U.S.-Russia relations and the ongoing Ukraine conflict.
In a stunning turn of events, American schoolteacher Marc Fogel has been released from a Russian prison after serving three and a half years of a 14-year sentence. Fogel, detained since August 2021 for drug smuggling, was welcomed back to U.S. soil with a flag-draped ceremony at the White House, where President Donald Trump greeted him personally.
Fogel’s release marks a significant moment in U.S.-Russia relations, with Trump hinting that it could pave the way for ending the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. “I feel like the luckiest man on earth right now,” Fogel expressed, as he stood beside Trump, who remarked, “To me he looks damned good.” This diplomatic move, described by Trump as a show of good faith from Russia, involved minimal concessions from the U.S., according to the President. Trump’s personal promise to Fogel’s 95-year-old mother during a rally to bring her son home has now been fulfilled, showcasing a powerful blend of personal commitment and international diplomacy. As the world watches, this release not only brings relief to Fogel’s family but also signals a potential thaw in U.S.-Russia relations, amidst the backdrop of the Ukraine crisis.
“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
The Complete Story of Marc Fogel’s Detention and Release
Marc Hilliard Fogel, a 63-year-old American schoolteacher from Pennsylvania, was detained in Russia in August 2021 while attempting to enter the country through customs at Sheremetyevo Airport. Russian authorities found 0.6 ounces (17 grams) of medical marijuana in his luggage, which Fogel claimed was prescribed in the United States to manage chronic pain.
Despite his medical justification, he was charged with drug trafficking, a serious offense under Russian law. In June 2022, Fogel was convicted and sentenced to a harsh 14-year prison term. Fogel had a long history of teaching at international schools, having worked in countries like Colombia, Malaysia, Oman, Mexico, and Venezuela before moving to Russia in 2012. He was employed at the Anglo-American School of Moscow at the time of his arrest.
The case of Marc Fogel gained significant attention, especially in light of other high-profile detentions of Americans in Russia, such as WNBA star Brittney Griner, who was also detained and later released in a prisoner exchange in 2022. Fogel’s family and advocates pushed for his release, arguing that he was wrongfully detained, especially since the amount of marijuana was minimal and for medical use. A petition on Change.org was launched to urge the Biden administration to recognize Fogel as wrongfully detained, garnering over 22,000 signatures by September 2023.
The diplomatic efforts to secure Fogel’s release took a turn in early 2025 under the Trump administration. President Donald Trump, who had promised Fogel’s 95-year-old mother during a campaign rally that he would bring her son home if elected, made good on this promise. The release was facilitated through diplomatic channels, involving Steve Witkoff, Trump’s special envoy for hostage affairs, who traveled to Russia to negotiate Fogel’s return.
Fogel’s release on February 11, 2025, was part of a broader context of U.S.-Russia relations, with Trump suggesting it could signal progress in ending the Ukraine-Russia conflict. This move was seen as a diplomatic gesture from Russia, potentially linked to discussions about the war in Ukraine, although specific details of what was exchanged or negotiated remain undisclosed.
Upon his return, Fogel was greeted with a warm welcome at the White House by President Trump, symbolizing not just personal relief but also a moment of diplomatic triumph. This event underscores the complexities of international hostage diplomacy and the impact of high-level political promises on individual lives caught in geopolitical tensions.