The Trump administration has succeeded in freeing an American prisoner from a Russian penal colony after President Joe Biden left him to rot.
The Biden administration was happy to let American teacher Marc Fogel languish in a Russian penal colony, instead focusing on trading female basketball player Brittney Griner for the Russian “merchant of death” in December 2022. Biden also left former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan as a prisoner in a Russian penal colony at the time, choosing Griner over him — though Whelan was ultimately freed in August 2024. Both Fogel and Whelan had been imprisoned much longer than Griner, but the administration appeared to favor the black lesbian basketball player over the two white men.
While Biden ignored the plight of Fogel, the Trump administration announced that it had secured his release on February 11.
The 63-year-old teacher was sentenced to 14 years in prison for possessing a small amount of medical marijuana in 2021 — the same crime that Griner was sentenced for.
Fogel had spent 27 years teaching overseas, and at the time of his arrest was an employee of the Anglo-American School of Moscow. He had been planning to retire the year that he was arrested, and had been prescribed medical marijuana by an American doctor after undergoing surgeries on his back, shoulder, and knee.
According to reports, Fogel will be coming home thanks to the negotiation of President Donald Trump’s special envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, who is flying Fogel home on his own private jet. Fogel was reportedly released as part of a prisoner swap, with the U.S. releasing Russian cybercriminal Alexander Vinnik in exchange.
BREAKING: American Marc Fogel is pictured onboard a jet on his way back to the U.S. after being imprisoned in Russia for nearly 4 years.
TRUMP GOT HIM FREED! pic.twitter.com/Iq4d58ur8D
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) February 11, 2025
The Trump administration informed Fogel’s family about his scheduled release on February 6, telling them that he had been moved from the Rybinsk penal colony to SIZO in the Yaroslavl region.
National security adviser Mike Waltz issued a statement about the news, writing: “President Trump, Steve Witkoff and the president’s advisers 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.”
Witkoff is bringing Marc Fogel home. pic.twitter.com/mbIrB7lNF2
— Mollie (@MZHemingway) February 11, 2025
Fogel’s family, especially his 95-year-old mother Malphine, have been fighting nonstop to secure his release throughout the past four years. Malphine was even at Trump’s July rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, and was scheduled to appear on stage with him before his assassination attempt. She was standing just 25 feet away from Trump when he was shot.
“When I met President Trump, he told me to take his arm because he could see I struggle with walking after I broke my kneecap,” Malphine told The Daily Wire. “He was very cordial and interested in my son’s situation. I just kept telling him he needs to remember Marc’s name.”
Malphine also thanked Trump during an interview with Fox News on February 11.
“I would like to thank him profusely. He promised me he would get him out and he kept his promise! I can’t thank him enough,” she said, adding that she was also grateful to Secretary of State Marco Rubio for helping release her son.
🚨 #BREAKING: Mother of Freed US Prisoner from Russia, Marc Fogel, PRAISES President Trump
“I met Trump at the Butler rally, and he promised me he would get him out.”
“I would like to thank him profusely. He kept his promise! I can’t thank him enough,” Malphine Fogel said 🇺🇸… https://t.co/ktSoirnMHl pic.twitter.com/CNNLS6cosx
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) February 11, 2025
