Trump meets with American teacher Marc Fogel after he was freed from a Russian prison

President Trump met with Marc Fogel at the White House Tuesday night, after making a deal with Russia to release Fogel from one of its jails. He was a teacher in Russia and was arrested in August 2021 after customs agents found medical marijuana in his luggage.

Trump's Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff flew to Russia to bring Fogel home.

After landing in the U.S., Fogel, 63, met with Trump and his administration wearing an American flag draped around his neck. He told the president, "I'm in total awe, and my thanks is for you and your administration, and these amazing people that have brought me home, and I just will spend the rest of my life indebted to you ... I'm so excited."

Fogel's sister, Anne Fogel said "We are absolutely in celebration, major relief mode."

Their mother, Malphine Fogel, 95, who lives in Pennsylvania, kept raising the case — including directly with President Trump while he was on the campaign trail.

"My mother spoke to President Trump shortly before he was shot in Butler," Anne Fogel said, referring to the July 13, 2024, assassination attempt at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania. "And he told her then that he would get my brother out, and and I give him great credit. He was true to his word."