Trump Greets PA Teacher Freed From Russian Prison

WASHINGTON, D.C. — President Donald Trump welcomed Marc Fogel at the White House Tuesday evening, hours after the teacher from Pittsburgh arrived back in the United States after being detained in Russia since 2021.

Accompanied by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, House Speaker Mike Johnson and others, Trump greeted Fogel outside on the North Portico before the group went inside the White House.

"I feel like the luckiest man on earth right now," Fogel said, standing next to Trump with an American flag draped around his shoulders.

The White House on Tuesday announced Fogel's surprising and sudden release as part of an exchange agreement with Russian officials. Asked about the deal, Trump provided no specifics but called the exchange “very fair, very, very fair, very reasonable. Not like deals you’ve seen over the years. They were very fair.”

Trump declined to say whether he spoke directly to Russian President Vladimir Putin regarding Fogel.

In 2022, Fogel, was sentenced to 14 years in a maximum security prison after being caught with 17 grams of medical marijuana, prescribed by an American physician to treat a spinal condition. He was arrested in 2021 at a Moscow airport after going to Russia to teach.

Fogel was not included in the last August's multi-country prisoner exchange that brought several imprisoned Americans home. He was declared wrongfully detained by former President Joe Biden's administration in December.

Fogel, 61, is from the Pittsburgh suburb of Oakmont. He had worked as a history teacher at the Anglo-American School in Moscow for nearly 10 years prior to his arrest.

Pennsylvania's two senators, Democrat John Fetterman and Republican Dave McCormick, applauded Fogel's release.

"Marc Fogel's return home is long overdue — and I know all of Pennsylvania, especially his family, will be welcoming him back with open arms," Fetterman stated on X.

"I am thrilled that Marc Fogel is finally coming home after years of being wrongfully held in Russia," McCormick said on X.

"I have been working with the administration on this since day one and I'm grateful to President Trump and Secretary Rubio for delivering on their commitment to free Marc. As I told Marc's Mom, Mafa, when we spoke in August, we had to do everything possible to get Marc home and it is a blessing that this day has finally come."