Trump welcomes freed teacher Marc Fogel

In a significant diplomatic development, US President Donald Trump welcomed American schoolteacher Marc Fogel to the White House, following Fogel's release from a Russian prison. Fogel, 63, had been detained since August 2021 after being found in possession of medically prescribed marijuana, for which he was serving a 14-year sentence.

The release was facilitated by Trump's special envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, who traveled to Moscow to negotiate the terms. National Security Adviser Mike Waltz described the exchange as a "show of good faith from the Russians" and a positive step toward ending the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.

Upon his return, an emotional Fogel expressed profound gratitude to those involved in securing his freedom, stating, "I feel like the luckiest man on Earth right now. I want you to know that I am not a hero in this at all, and President Trump is a hero. These men that came from the diplomatic service are heroes. The Senators and Representatives that passed legislation in my honor to get me home are the heroes. I am in awe of what they all did."

President Trump acknowledged Russia's cooperation in the matter, noting, "We were treated very nicely by Russia, actually." He also hinted at the imminent release of another individual, stating, "Somebody else is being released tomorrow that you will know of." 

Fogel's family expressed immense relief and gratitude, stating, "We are beyond grateful, relieved, and overwhelmed that after more than three years of detention, our father, husband, and son, Marc Fogel, is finally coming home."

This development is viewed as a potential catalyst for improved U.S.-Russia relations and a step toward resolving the conflict in Ukraine.

Fogel was released into the custody of Trump's Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, who made an unannounced stop in Moscow to pick him up.