Mark Vogel returned to the US on Tuesday after spending more than three years in prison in Russia and expressed his gratitude to President Trump at an emotional meeting at the White House
“I feel like the lucky man on the planet right now. And I want you to know I'm not the hero of this. And President Trump is a hero. And he came from diplomatic services. These guys are heroes,” Fogel said.
“I'm just thrilled to spend the rest of my life in debt to you and the country,” he told Trump.
The Trump administration has not identified what it gave up in exchange for Vogel's release. Trump told reporters that Vogel was part of a massive prisoner deal and that “someone else you know will be released tomorrow.”
Both Trump and Vogel thanked Russian President Vladimir Putin for promoting Vogel's release. Trump wouldn't say if he spoke directly to Putin.
“I just want to say I'm very grateful for what they did when I let Mark go home,” Trump said.
Vogel said Putin was “very generous and like a politician.”
Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), Senator David McCormick (R-PA.), Rep. Guy Leschenthaller (R-PA.), Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Trump's envoy, Middle East Steve Witkoff greets Vogel at the White House, who was among them.
Fogel worked as a teacher at a Moscow school for many years, but after being arrested in 2021 he was sentenced to 14 years in prison.
He was known to carry cannabis, but his family said he was prescribed for back pain. Fogel was found guilty of “large drug smuggling” in 2022. The Biden administration has designated Vogel as unfairly detained.
Fogel was not part of a major prisoner exchange in August. The Biden administration has released Wall Street Journal Reporter Evan Gershkovich, former US Marine Paul Werlan and two other Americans in a deal that includes releases of five Germans and seven Russians. I've secured it. A citizen who was detained as a political prisoner.
Vogel's mother met with Trump at a campaign rally last year. So she urged her to take her son home if she wins the November election.
“He was going to kick him out if he was elected by her,” Vogel's sister Anne told CNN on Tuesday. “And the man was faithful to what he said.”
