President Donald Trump on Tuesday secured the release of an American imprisoned in Russia as part of a deal with the Kremlin negotiated by Trump’s special envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff.
The American, Marc Fogel, a teacher who was arrested on charges of bringing medical marijuana into Russia in August 2021, was released by the Kremlin and flown out of the country on Witkoff’s plane.
Although he began serving a 14-year sentence in June 2022, Fogel was classified as wrongfully detained by the Biden administration only late last year.
Fogel was brought to the White House once he arrived back in the United States. An American flag was draped around his neck as he emerged from a black car, with Trump waiting to greet him.
Fogel grew emotional as he told Trump he was indebted to him.
“I feel like the luckiest man on earth right now,” Fogel told a small group of reporters once inside the White House.
