The sister of an American teacher who was wrongfully detained in Russia for over three years has praised Donald Trump for ‘keeping his word’ and freeing her brother.
Anne Fogel, the sister of former prisoner Marc Fogel, told CNN her family is ‘jubilant’ after he was freed on Tuesday, where he was met by Trump at the White House.
‘I’m really, really excited and happy,’ she said.
‘Especially for my mom, she’s going to be 96 in a couple weeks, and she didn’t think she was going to make it to this day. So, we are really jubilant, and we are celebrating.’
Anne revealed that her mother, who is from Butler, Pennsylvania, met with Trump shortly before he was shot in her town last July, and said ‘he told her then that if he was elected, he was going to get him out.’
‘And the man was true to his word.’
Fogel had been wrongly detained in Russia for 3.5 years on drug trafficking charges since authorities found cannabis in his luggage on his 2021 arrival at Sheremetyevo International Airport in Moscow.
Although he used the drug to treat a crippling spinal condition, he was sentenced to 14 years in prison the next year, in what was described as ‘essentially a hostage-taking situation.’
Anne Fogel, the sister of former wrongfully detained prisoner Marc Fogel, praised President Trump for ‘keeping his word’ and freeing her brother this week
Marc Fogel had been imprisoned in Russia for over three years on drugs charges, and was met by President Trump at the White House following his return to the US this week
CNN’s Erin Burnett asked Anne about how prepared she was for the news that her brother would be freed, saying the transfer appeared to come ‘out of the blue.’
Anne responded: ‘Well, things started to turn around last fall when he was designated as wrongfully detained, and we knew that the State Department was taking more of an interest.’
She said her mother had been told that Trump would work to secure his release if he was re-elected shortly before that.
Anne said following Trump’s return to the White House, she knew ‘something was happening’ with her brother last week.
She said she heard Marc was moved from the prison where he was detained, and he ‘received new clothes, had a shower, they trimmed his hair, and shaved him.’
‘So, we knew that something was happening, but these things can go sideways,’ she said.
‘And we’ve been on the edge of our seat for the entire week, and then this morning Marc called my mom and sister-in-law to let us know that he was getting on the plane.
‘To hear that he was out of Russian airspace, it was just the best, the best.’
Anne said her mother Malphine, 96, (pictured) was concerned if she was ‘going to make it to this day’ at her advanced age
Marc seen celebrating his freedom on board a US airplane following his release
Marc’s sister said her family are ‘really jubilant’ after seeing his secure his freedom
Trump hosted Fogel at the White House hours after the teacher was released from Russian custody on Tuesday night.
‘I’m so excited,’ Fogel told Trump of being back in the U.S. after arriving at a snowy White House with an American flag draped around his neck.
As he shook the president’s hand, Trump rubbed Fogel’s arm and gave him a cordial embrace.
Both men smiled and celebrated the teacher’s release before heading into the warmth of the White House Diplomatic Reception Room.
‘I feel like the luckiest man on Earth right now,’ Fogel said inside as he fought back tears while holding a celebratory beer from his native Pennsylvania. ‘President Trump is a hero.’
He described his horrific detainment in Russia, where he claimed to have spent over 100 days in medical wards and received over 400 injections during his 3.5 years in prisoned there.
Marc Fogel (center), drapped in an American flag, returns to U.S. soil for the first time since 2021. National Security Adviser Mike Waltz (L) and United States Envoy for Hostages Adam Boehler (R) can be seen applauding his arrival
Marc Fogel was an American private school teacher from from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania before he was jailed in Russia after being caught with a medical marijuana prescription in 2021
‘To me you look damn good, I’ll tell you that,’ Trump reassured the 63-year-old teacher. ‘You’re in good shape.’
‘We appreciate President Putin, what he what he did,’ the president said. ‘He was able to pull it off for you,’ he told Fogel, adding ‘it was a fair deal.’
‘I also should make mention that President Putin was very generous and statesman-like in granting me a pardon,’ Fogel shared.
In addition to thanking the Russian president, Fogel celebrated Steve Witkoff’s efforts to bring him home. Witkoff, Trump’s special envoy to the Middle East, was a crucial figure in securing the teacher’s freedom.
‘I will forever be indebted to President Trump and to Steve over there—what a dynamic man he is,’ Fogel said.
Beaming ear-to-ear, Fogel was greeted by many top politicians, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and National Security Adviser Mike Waltz upon his arrival to the snow-laden White House.
Top members of Congress, including Speaker Mike Johnson, House Foreign Affairs Committee Chair Brian Mast and others were also in attendance.
