Fogel was serving a 14-year sentence in a Russian prison
Mother of freed American hostage Marc Fogel describes 'incredible relief' after learning about her son's release
Malphine Fogel, mother of Marc Fogel, opens up about the release of her son from Russian custody and thanks President Donald Trump for 'keeping his promise' on 'America Reports.'
The mother of Marc Fogel, an American who had been detained in Russia since 2021, is expressing relief and gratitude to President Donald Trump for securing his release Tuesday.
"(Trump) promised me he would get him out, and he kept his promise," Malphine Fogel told "America Reports." "I can't thank him enough."
Marc Fogel, a history teacher who was working at the Anglo-American School in Moscow, is heading back to U.S. soil after Russia released him following talks with Trump administration officials. Fogel was serving a 14-year sentence after his arrest in August 2021 at a Russian airport for being in possession of drugs, which his family and supporters said were medically prescribed marijuana.
His mother, Malphine, met with Trump before his fateful rally in Butler, Pennsylvania last year, asking the then-presidential nominee to not forget her son’s name. He assured her that he would bring her son home.
Now, Malphine is celebrating that fulfilled promise.
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Ellen Keelan, center, and other family members rally outside the White House for the release of Marc Fogel on July 15, 2023, in Washington. (AP/Stephanie Scarbrough)
"I met with President Trump, and he was just as cordial as he could be," Malphine Fogel recalled of the Butler meeting. "He told me three different times, 'If I get in,' he said, 'I'll get him out' and I really think he's been instrumental."
Besides wanting to thank Trump "profusely" for his work in bringing her son home, Malphine Fogel also expressed gratitude to Secretary of State Marco Rubio and others who worked on the case.
She described the relief she felt after learning her son would soon be home.
"It was a total surprise when he called, and he said he was in the Moscow airport," the joyous mom. "So, that meant that (they) had taken him out of the prison to Moscow. ... The last week or so, for some crazy reason, I had a better feeling about things, but I hadn't heard from him in a week, so I thought that was odd and when he called this morning, it was just a total shock."
Malphine Fogel, mother of Marc Fogel, opens up about the release of her son from Russian custody and thanks President Donald Trump for 'keeping his promise' on 'America Reports.' (Fox News)
Fogel said her son will be "sore from all the hugs" he receives once he lands in the United States.
"It's just an unbelievable situation right now," she said. "We're just waiting and waiting to get him into the U.S. I think the first thing he'll do is stoop down and kiss the ground."
Fox News Digital's Greg Norman contributed to this report.
