Rubio says American Marc Fogel freed from Russia due to 'strength' of Trump

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Tuesday that Marc Fogel, an American who had been detained successful Russia since 2021, was released due to the fact that the U.S. has a "strong president" successful President Donald Trump.

Rubio made the comments during an quality connected Fox News' "Hannity."

"We person a large squad present … but nary of this is imaginable without President Trump," Rubio said. "This is the 10th American that has travel location aft being detained determination overseas successful conscionable 3 weeks. And for the White House, it's an bonzer achievement. This is what happens erstwhile you person a beardown president."

"Look, anytime an American comes home, we should beryllium excited astir it. This is simply a lawsuit that languished nether the Biden administration, they truly didn't springiness it priority. And truthful contiguous is truly a blessed occasion. It should beryllium for each Americans, but surely for Mr. Fogel and his family," helium continued.

FREED AMERICAN HOSTAGE MARC FOGEL LANDS IN US AFTER YEARS IN RUSSIAN CAPTIVITY

U.S. President Donald Trump welcomes Marc Fogel backmost to the United States aft being released from Russian custody, astatine the White House connected February 11, 2025, successful Washington, D.C. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)

Fogel, a past teacher who was moving astatine the Anglo-American School successful Moscow, returned to the U.S. aft his merchandise from Russia pursuing talks with the Trump administration.

He was serving a 14-year condemnation aft his apprehension successful August 2021 astatine a Russian airdrome for possession of drugs, which his household said was medically prescribed marijuana.

After his accomplishment successful the U.S., Fogel, from Pennsylvania, met with Trump astatine the White House and called him a "hero" for securing his release. His family, successful a statement, besides thanked Trump for his "unwavering leadership" that helped escaped Fogel.

When asked by reporters connected Tuesday whether the U.S. had fixed up thing successful instrumentality for Fogel, Trump replied "not much" without offering further details.

MOTHER OF FREED AMERICAN HOSTAGE MARC FOGEL THANKS PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: 'HE KEPT HIS PROMISE'

Marc Fogel, an American schoolteacher detained successful Russia since August 2021, gestures connected an airplane flying him backmost to the United States aft U.S. peculiar envoy Steve Witkoff secured his merchandise connected February 11, 2025. (Adam Boehler/Handout via REUTERS   )

Rubio stressed the value of having a beardown person arsenic president erstwhile handling delicate matters with different leaders astir the world.

"We person a beardown president, I deliberation radical hide however important that is," Rubio told big Sean Hannity. "At the extremity of the day, we are dealing each implicit the satellite with beardown leaders. We whitethorn not similar them oregon what they do, but these are beardown leaders that respect strength. And that's what we person with Donald Trump successful the White House. And, helium besides made this a run priority. So, I deliberation you're opening to spot the fruits of what happened. We were led by a beardown president who does what helium says he's going to bash and doesn't conscionable springiness it articulator service."

He besides suggested that with Trump successful office, the U.S. authorities could execute different overseas argumentation goals, including ending the Russia-Ukraine warfare and the Israel-Hamas war, which is present nether a ceasefire.

U.S. President Donald Trump greets released American schoolteacher Marc Fogel, who had been held successful Russia since 2021, astatine the White House successful Washington, D.C., February 11, 2025. (REUTERS/Nathan Howard)

"I deliberation that the crushed wherefore this mightiness beryllium linked to truthful galore different things implicit clip is due to the fact that of that strength," the caput said. "When you person a president that's strong, similar Donald Trump, you're going to person a accidental to execute things, whether it's successful Ukraine and ending that war, whether it's immoderate of the conflicts that we're present seeing successful the Middle East oregon anyplace successful the world, due to the fact that they cognize he's not playing around."

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"He says he's going to bash it, and past helium does it," Rubio added. "And this is not immoderate president that wastes a batch of clip talking astir things that he's ne'er going to bash oregon doesn't mean to do. If helium says he's going to bash something, he'll bash it. And these leaders cognize it. And so, and hopefully, they'll carnivore effect successful a clump of places beyond conscionable what we're seeing tonight."