With an American flag draped over his shoulders, Marc Fogel, the American teacher freed from a Russian prison, arrived at the White House on Tuesday night, where he was welcomed by President Donald Trump.
Fogel, 63, had been serving a 14-year sentence in a Russian penal colony after being arrested in 2021 on drug charges.
Speaking to reporters at the White House, an emotional Fogel expressed his gratitude.
“I am not a hero,” he said. “President Donald Trump is a hero.”
Fogel also thanked his family, including his 95-year-old mother, who had publicly pleaded for his release at a Trump campaign rally last year.
Additionally, he credited Steve Witkoff, Trump’s special Middle East envoy, for playing a key role in securing his freedom.
Fogel declined to go into details about his ordeal, saying that every day was a challenge and that he needed time to process his experience.
However, he did reveal that he had received over 400 injections while imprisoned, though he did not specify the reasons or provide further details.
Trump did not disclose details of the negotiations that led to Fogel’s release or discuss any conversations with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“I can only say this: We got a man home whose mother and family wanted him desperately,” Trump stated.
He also suggested that Fogel’s return could help advance negotiations to end the Russia-Ukraine war, adding:
“I want to get the war ended.”
Earlier in the day, Trump was asked whether Russia had received anything in return for Fogel’s release.
“Not much, no. They were very nice. We were treated very nicely by Russia, actually,” Trump responded.
Adam Boehler, the presidential envoy for hostage affairs, signaled that negotiations with Russia remain ongoing, but dismissed the idea of an immediate prisoner exchange.
“You won’t see an exchange,” Boehler told CNN, adding:
“I think you will see the president give consideration—if there are some nonviolent people where maybe there’s no issues one way or the other—but you will not see a one-for-one thing happening at the same time.”
Secretary of State Marco Rubio emphasized that Fogel’s release serves as a reminder that other Americans remain detained in Russia.
“President Trump is committed to bringing all of them home,” Rubio said in a statement.
Boehler also hinted that another American detainee could be released soon, telling CNN on Tuesday night:
“We have another American coming in tomorrow.”
As diplomatic efforts continue, Fogel’s release marks a major victory for the Trump administration’s efforts to secure the freedom of detained Americans abroad.
