Washington – White House announced on Tuesday that he has negotiated the release of Fogel frameA north -American school teacher who had been held in Russia since 2021.
The White House National Security Minister Michael Waltz designated as “mistakenly detained” by the United States at the end of last year. Waltz said he would be on the US floor on Tuesday night.
“President Trump, Steve Witkoff, and the president’s advisers negotiated an exchange that serves as a good faith in Russians’ good faith and a sign that we headed in the right direction to end the brutal and terrible war in Ukraine,” he said In a statement. “Since the junction of President Trump, he has successfully achieved the release of Americans arrested worldwide, and President Trump will continue until all Americans are returned to the United States.”
The White House did not provide details on what resigned the United States to an agreement with Russia.
A Pennsylvania History Professor, Fogel, was arrested by Russian authorities at Moscow Airport in 2021. His family had said he was carrying 17 grams of marijuana for medical reasons to treat chronic back pain.
His family had promoted the predecessor of Mr. Trump, former President Joe Biden, to achieve his release, especially after Fogel was outside the exchanges of prisoners negotiated by the previous administration. In December 2022, Russia launched the Brittney Griner Wnba Star in a Exchange of prisoners by a For the International Arms Dealer Viktor Bout.
Then last August the administration of Biden ensured the launch Of three north -Americans more from Russia – Wall Street Journal Reporter Evan GershkovichVeteran sailor Paul Whelan and journalist of Ruso -American Radio Alsu Kurmasva -As part of an exchange of prisoners of 24 people.
In addition to Fogel, this agreement omitted several North -American imprisoned in Russia, including musician Michael Travis LeakeUnited States Army Staff Sergeant Gordon Black and the Russian-American Ballerina Xenia karelina.
In a statement, Fogel’s family thanked Mr. Trump and other allies who fought for his release.
“We are beyond grateful, relieved and overwhelmed than after more than three years of arrest, our father, husband and son, Marc Fogel, finally return home,” he said. “Thanks to the unmatched leadership of President Trump, Marc will again be in the North -American soil, free from where he belongs. This has been the darkest and darkest period of our lives, but today we begin to heal.”
Martin de Luca and Andrew Smith, a legal team of Fogel, also praised the President and his administration for his work to release him.
“The liberation of Marc Fogel is historical, it has long been produced and a will of the power of strong leadership,” they said. “After years of bureaucratic inaction, including -negatives consisting of designating Marc as mistakenly detained, President Trump achieved Marc’s release in a few weeks, without losing time to take decisive actions to take Marc to home ”.
Pennsylvania senators, John Fetterman and Dave McCormick, encouraged the release of Fogel.
“Marc Fogel’s return home has been long ago, and I know that all Pennsylvania, especially his family, will welcome him with open arms,” Fetterman, Democrat, write In X.
“I am happy that Marc Fogel will finally arrive home after years of being celebrated mistakenly in Russia,” McCormick, a Republican, Said in a post. “I have been working with the administration from day one and I am grateful to President Trump and Secretary Rubio for taking his commitment to Marc’s release. As I told Marc’s mother, MAF, when we were Speaking in August, we had to do our best to get Marc home and it is a blessing that this day has finally arrived. “
Fogel’s mother, Malphine Fogel, had criticized Biden and his administration for the delay in designating his son as mistakenly detained. This determination made by the Secretary of State and erases the path for the offices of the State Department and the federal agencies to work together to develop a plan to ensure the release of a detainee.
She filed a lawsuit Against the State Department last June, but the case was rejected. Malphine Fogel received more attention to the public about the arrest of his son During a rally on July 13 With Mr. Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania, but the campaign event increased when Gunman opened fire to the crowd. The president and two others were injured and a man was assassinated during his assassination attempt.
“I was on stage with him and he would mention [Marc’s] Name, “Malphine Fogel told CBS News Pittsburgh last July.” We left it out of the world. Well, that didn’t happen because we didn’t go on stage. “
He met Mr. Trump before the rally and said he pledged to ensure the release of Marc Fogel if he was elected to a second term.