Russia Releases U.S. School Teacher After Talks With Trump Envoy

The Trump adminsitartion has announced an American school teacher who was sentenced to 14 years in prison has been released from a Russian prison.

National Security Advisor Mike Waltz stated, “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,” added Walz.

Marc Fogel was sentenced to Russian prison in 2021 after being in possesion of marijuana that his family claims was prescribed by doctors.

AMERICAN MARC FOGEL RELEASED BY PUTIN.

The Trump effect, we see it more and more every day.pic.twitter.com/gwg0m500S6

— Citizen Free Press (@CitizenFreePres) February 11, 2025

Here’s what Fox News reported:

An American teacher who was detained by Russia is heading back to American soil, the Trump administration announced Tuesday.

“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,” National Security Advisor Mike Waltz said in a statement.

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“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,” Waltz added.

Marc Fogel, a history teacher from Pennsylvania, was serving a 14-year prison sentence after his arrest in August 2021 at a Russian airport for being in possession of drugs, which his family and supporters said were medically prescribed marijuana.

Witkoff is bringing Marc Fogel home. pic.twitter.com/mbIrB7lNF2

— Mollie (@MZHemingway) February 11, 2025

Per CBS:

The White House announced Tuesday that it has negotiated the release of Marc Fogel, an American schoolteacher who had been held in Russia since 2021.

White House national security adviser Michael Waltz said that Steve Witkoff, President Trump’s special envoy to the Middle East, was leaving Russian airspace with Fogel, who was serving a 14-year sentence and was designated as “wrongfully detained” by the U.S. late last year. Waltz said he would be on U.S. soil by Tuesday night.

“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,” he said in a statement. “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.”