As RedState reported, Marc Fogel, who was sentenced to 14 years for carrying medical marijuana into Russia and held prisoner, was freed after four years in a Russian gulag. Fogel was escorted home by Special Envoy Steve Witkoff. The plane landed in the United States just before 10:00 p.m. EST on Tuesday.

MARC FOGEL IS BACK!!! 🇺🇸

PROMISES MADE, PROMISES KEPT!!! 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/ZMceoU0OfA

— The White House (@WhiteHouse) February 12, 2025

This photo was taken while Fogel was in flight. The look of sheer relief and gratitude on Fogel’s face is unmatched.

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

— Adam Boehler (@aboehler) February 11, 2025

Fogel and the State Department envoy team landed at Joint Base Andrews and were immediately transported to the White House to meet with President Donald Trump, who worked to get him freed.

President Trump exited the White House with House Speaker Mike Johnson, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Sen. Dave McCormick (R-PA), Steve Witkoff, National Security Adviser Mike Waltz, and CIA Director John Ratcliffe. It was a dramatic tableau as snow fell around them. Fogel had the American flag draped around his shoulders as he greeted Trump, shaking his hand, while the crowd just applauded. After some conversation among members of the Cabinet, President Trump returned to the White House and requested Fogel speak to the press.

Fogel began:

I feel like the luckiest man on earth right now. And uhh… I want you to know that I am not a hero in this at all. And, President Trump, is a hero. And these men that came from the diplomatic service, are heroes. The senators and representatives who passed legislation in my honor to get me home are the heroes. I know what they all did. My family has been a force. I think my 95-year-old mother is probably the most dynamic 95-year-old on earth right now. And I am so indebted to so many people. 

I think I remember a Churchill quote that he said when the RAF was fighting the Luftwaffe, he said that, “Never have so many owed so much to so few,” and I put myself fortunately, and unfortunately into that category, and I said, “Never has one owed so much to so many.” That this superorganism of people who came to my support. And the love that I was given sustained me for three-and-a-half years in a prison that had me in hospitals for more than 100 days. I was given more than 400 injections in that time. And knowing I had the support of my fellow Pennsylvanians, my family, my friends. It was so overwhelming that… it brought me to my knees and it brought me to tears. It was my energy, it was my being, that kept me going that whole time. 

And I will forever be indebted, President Trump. To Steve [Witkoff] over there, what a dynamic man this guy is. When I met him, the energy, the can-do attitude just exudes from his body. And when he smiled at me and introduced me, and I got the feel for what has happened… It’s not just me, it’s everybody. And Secretary Rubio who met my son a while back… I’m a middle class school teacher who is now in a dream world…

President Trump interjected: “We’re going to show you the Lincoln Bedroom. It’s a very special, special place, appropriate for tonight, very appropriate.”