Marc Fogel, an American who was detained by Russia, returned to U.S. soil Tuesday night after spending over three years in prison.
President Donald Trump greeted Fogel on the South Lawn of the White House after he landed in the U.S. earlier in the evening.
"I feel like the luckiest man on Earth right now," Fogel told reporters.
Fogel was detained in 2021 and convicted in 2022 for possession of medical marijuana. A Russian judge then sentenced him to 14 years in prison. The Biden administration at the time considered Fogel “wrongfully detained.”
Fogel landed in the U.S. shortly before 10 p.m. Eastern Time on Tuesday, according to a post from National Security Adviser Mike Waltz.
Welcome home, Marc pic.twitter.com/PwbGmaf1Xd
— Mike Waltz (@MikeWaltz47) February 12, 2025
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Fogel was in Russia to complete a 10-year teaching contract.
The Trump administration said it negotiated an exchange, but the White House has not said what the U.S. had to do to secure his release.
President Trump did not offer any more details on Tuesday night, except to say that the deal was "Very fair, very, very fair, very reasonable. Not like deals you’ve seen over the years. They were very fair."
President Trump said another prisoner would be released as soon as Wednesday. He did not say where the prisoner was from or what was offered for their release, except to call them "very special."
“We were treated very nicely by Russia, actually,” President Trump said earlier on Tuesday, of the deal that secured Fogel's release. “I hope that’s the beginning of a relationship where we can end that war.”
"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,” national security adviser Mike Waltz said. “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."
Fogel's sister Anne Fogel told the Scripps News Group that her brother has serious medical issues.
“He's 63 years old and he has a long list of medical conditions. He needs to be prioritized because of his health and his age and because he doesn't belong there," she said.
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