NEW: Trump Swiftly Secures Return Of American Imprisoned In Russia During Biden’s Term

President Donald Trump has secured the release of Marc Fogel, an American teacher who was detained in Russia during Joe Biden’s presidency. The Trump administration announced Tuesday that Fogel is on his way back to the United States after negotiations led by Trump’s Special Envoy, Steve Witkoff.

“Today, President Donald J. Trump and his Special Envoy Steve Witkoff are able to announce that Mr. Witkoff is leaving Russian airspace with Marc Fogel, an American who was detained by Russia,” said National Security Advisor Mike Waltz in a statement.

The breakthrough is a significant diplomatic step in U.S.-Russia relations under Trump’s leadership. “President Trump, Steve Witkoff, and the President’s advisors 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,” Waltz added.

Fogel, a 62-year-old educator, was arrested in 2021 for carrying medical marijuana prescribed for pain management. He was sentenced to 14 years in a Russian penal colony, a case that drew comparisons to WNBA player Brittney Griner, who was released in a high-profile prisoner swap under the Biden administration while Fogel remained imprisoned.

Real time photo of Marc@Fogel@coming home. ⁦@realDonaldTrump⁩ ⁦@SteveWitkoff⁩ ⁦@StateSPEHA⁩ pic.twitter.com/FIAm8fwZtL

— Adam Boehler (@aboehler) February 11, 2025

“Since President Trump’s swearing-in, he has successfully secured the release of Americans detained around the world, and President Trump will continue until all Americans being held are returned to the United States,” Waltz stated.

By Tuesday night, Fogel is expected to be back on U.S. soil, reunited with his family—a stark contrast to the inaction seen during Biden’s term. The move reinforces Trump’s tough approach to foreign policy and his ability to secure deals swiftly without conceding to America’s adversaries.

“[We’re] beyond grateful, relieved and overwhelmed,” Fogel’s family shared with The Associated Press. “This has been the darkest and most painful period of our lives, but today, we begin to heal,” they added. With renewed optimism, his family noted, “For the first time in years, our family can look forward to the future with hope.”

Fogel, an American educator from Pennsylvania, spent years teaching history at international schools in various countries, including Colombia, Malaysia, Oman, Venezuela, and Russia. In August 2021, he was arrested at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport after authorities found approximately 17 grams of medical marijuana in his possession.

The substance had been legally prescribed to him in the United States for chronic pain, but Russian authorities charged him with drug trafficking. By June 2022, he was sentenced to 14 years in a Russian penal colony, a punishment many viewed as harsh, especially given his medical condition and status as a teacher rather than a trafficker.

In January, Malphine Fogel, the 95-year-old mother of Marc, was hopeful that Trump would fulfill the promise he made during their brief encounter at a rally in Pennsylvania last July, just moments before he was shot. At the time, the Republican candidate had repeatedly pledged to secure Marc’s return.

While last August’s significant prisoner exchange saw the release of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, other Americans, including U.S.-Russian dual national Ksenia Khavana, were not included. Convicted of treason in August, Khavana was sentenced to 12 years in prison over an approximate $52 donation to a charity supporting Ukraine.

At the time, the Biden White House condemned the verdict and sentencing, calling it “nothing less than vindictive cruelty.”