{"id":2401623,"date":"2025-02-12T03:23:01","date_gmt":"2025-02-12T08:23:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/president-trump-is-a-hero-says-american-teacher-freed-after-being-detained-in-russia-washington-examiner\/"},"modified":"2025-02-12T03:23:50","modified_gmt":"2025-02-12T08:23:50","slug":"president-trump-is-a-hero-says-american-teacher-freed-after-being-detained-in-russia-washington-examiner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/president-trump-is-a-hero-says-american-teacher-freed-after-being-detained-in-russia-washington-examiner\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018President Trump is a hero\u2019 says American teacher freed after being detained in Russia &#8211; Washington Examiner"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">34<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fpresident-trump-is-a-hero-says-american-teacher-freed-after-being-detained-in-russia-washington-examiner%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2401623&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Marc Fogel, an American teacher who was detained in Russia since August \u20632021, recently returned to the United States and spoke publicly for the first time\u2064 alongside former President \u200bDonald Trump at \u200cthe White House. Fogel <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/phil-mickelson-opens-up-about-gambling-addiction\/\" title=\"Phil Mickelson reveals gambling addiction\">expressed immense gratitude<\/a> for his release, declaring himself the &#8220;luckiest man on Earth&#8221; and praised Trump and others who played a role in securing his \u2063freedom.He emphasized that it was \u2064the diplomatic efforts and support \u2064from many individuals, including his family, that helped him endure the harsh conditions of his imprisonment, where he\u200b suffered injuries and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/steve-scalises-cryptic-threat-to-gop-rivals-who-tanked-his-speaker-bid-there-are-no-secrets\/\" title=\"Steve Scalise warns GOP rivals who sabotaged his speaker bid: &#039;No secrets remain\">underwent extensive medical treatment<\/a>. Fogel was detained \u200bafter customs \u200dofficials found 0.6 ounces of medical marijuana in his luggage, leading to a\u2062 conviction for drug trafficking \u200band a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/michael-avenatti-sentenced-to-14-years-in-prison-for-financial-crimes\/\" title=\"Michael Avenatti Sentenced To 14 Years In ... For Financial Crimes\">14-year prison sentence<\/a> \u2064in Russia.Reflecting on his experience, \u200bhe acknowledged the support \u2062from his community and family as vital to his resilience\u2064 during his three-and<a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/ex-trump-aide-paul-manafort-cant-be-prosecuted-in-new-york-following-pardon-court-rules\/\" title=\"Ex...Trump Aide Paul Manafort Can\u2019t Be Prosecuted in New York Following Pardon, Court Rules\">-a-half years<\/a> in prison.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">&lsquo;President Trump is a hero&rsquo; says American teacher freed after being detained in Russia<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_1990822\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/opinion\/columnists\/3317377\/beloved-pennsylvanian-returns-home-russian-prison\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Marc Fogel<\/a>, the American teacher detained in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/russia\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Russia<\/a> since August 2021, arrived at the White House on Tuesday night. He stood beside President <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/donald-trump\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Donald Trump<\/a>, addressing the media for the first time since being released from a Russian prison.<\/p>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>&ldquo;I feel like the luckiest man on Earth right now,&rdquo; Fogel said, standing next to the president.<\/p>\n<p>He expressed immense gratitude for his release and complimented Trump and all who helped get him back into the United States.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">WATCH: Marc Fogel, an American citizen freed after being wrongfully detained in Russian since 2021, speaks at the White House &mdash; his first remarks on American soil.<\/p>\n<p>WELCOME HOME! &#127482;&#127480; <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/I4ySbGQz4W\">pic.twitter.com\/I4ySbGQz4W<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/RapidResponse47\/status\/1889521780005503240?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">February 12, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/cdn-cgi\/scripts\/5c5dd728\/cloudflare-static\/email-decode.min.js\"><\/script><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script> <\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p>&ldquo;I want you to know that I am not a hero in this at all. President Trump is a hero,&rdquo; Fogel said.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;These men who came from the diplomatic service are heroes,&rdquo; he added. &ldquo;The senators and representatives of past legislation in my honor to get me home are the heroes. I am in awe of what they all did.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Fogel also thanked his family for never losing faith during the ordeal, explicitly mentioning his mother, who is 95 years old.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;My family has been a force,&rdquo; Fogel said. &ldquo;I think my 95-year-old mother is probably the most dynamic 95-year-old on Earth right now. I am so indebted to so many people.&rdquo;&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;I think I remember a Churchill quote that he said when the RAF was fighting the Luftwaffe, he said, &lsquo;Never have so many owed so much, to so few.&rsquo; And I put myself, fortunately and unfortunately, into that category,&rdquo; Fogel continued. &ldquo;Never has one owed so much to so many, than this super organism of people that came to my support, and the love that I was given sustained me for three and a half years in prison.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Fogel was detained by customs at Sheremetyevo Airport in Moscow, Russia, after authorities discovered 0.6 ounces of medical marijuana in his luggage. Marijuana is illegal in Russia. Nearly a year later, in June 2022, Fogel was convicted by a Russian court for drug trafficking and <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/white-house\/3316687\/trump-secures-release-marc-fogel-russia\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">sentenced to 14 years in prison<\/a>. Fogel had been living and working in Russia as a teacher at the Anglo-American School of Moscow since 2012.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Fogel briefly detailed some of the harsh conditions he faced while imprisoned in Russia. He also mentioned the extensive medical treatment needed for the injuries he suffered and the trauma he endured.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;It had me in hospitals for than 100 days,&rdquo; Fogel said. &ldquo;I was given more than 400 injections in that time. Knowing that I had the support of my fellow Pennsylvanians, my family, my friends, it was so overwhelming that it brought me to my knees and brought me to tears, but it was my energy, it was my being that kept me going that whole time.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <script>!function(){var g=window;g.googletag=g.googletag||{},g.googletag.cmd=g.googletag.cmd||[],g.googletag.cmd.push(function(){g.googletag.pubads().setTargeting(\"has-featured-video\",\"true\")})}();<\/script><script>var _bp=_bp||[];_bp.push({\"div\":\"Brid_1990822\",\"obj\":{\"id\":\"27789\",\"width\":\"1280\",\"height\":\"720\",\"stickyDirection\":\"below\",\"video\":\"1990822\"}});<\/script><script defer src=\"https:\/\/services.brid.tv\/player\/build\/brid.min.js\"><\/script><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>President Trump is a hero,&#8221; says freed American teacher Marc Fogel<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2707,"featured_media":2401624,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Marc-Fogel-1024x683.webp","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[538],"tags":[36917,6845,3634],"class_list":["post-2401623","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-washington-examiner","tag-american-teacher","tag-hero","tag-trump"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Marc-Fogel-1024x683.webp","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2401623","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2707"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2401623"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2401623\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2401627,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2401623\/revisions\/2401627"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2401624"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2401623"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2401623"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2401623"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}