Westmoreland Review

Chief Deputy Whip Guy Reschenthaler has praised former President Donald Trump for his efforts in securing the release of Marc Fogel, who had been detained in Russia. In a statement, Reschenthaler noted that "Marc Fogel spent 1,255 days locked away in a Russian penal colony under the Biden-Harris Administration while my congressional colleagues and I urged the State Department to bring him home." He expressed relief and gratitude that "our prayers were answered with the election of President Donald J. Trump, whose leadership freed Marc in just 22 days."

Fogel was arrested in August 2021 and sentenced to 14 years for possessing medical marijuana intended for his back injury. Before an event last year in Butler, PA, Trump met with Fogel's mother, Malphine Fogel, showing support for her son's release.

Reschenthaler has actively campaigned for Fogel's return through various actions. On January 23, 2025, he and other lawmakers pressed Secretary of State Marco Rubio to use all available means to secure Fogel’s release. Earlier efforts included leading letters urging both the Biden Administration and former Secretary of State Antony Blinken to consider including Fogel in any prisoner exchanges with Russia.

Reschenthaler's advocacy also involved introducing the Marc Fogel Act on June 27, 2023. This legislation would mandate that the State Department share documentation with Congress about why a U.S. national detained abroad is or isn't classified as wrongfully detained within six months of their arrest.

Efforts by Reschenthaler date back to at least August 3, 2022, when he requested that former Secretary Blinken classify Fogel as wrongfully detained due to similarities with Brittney Griner’s case. Furthermore, on October 31, 2022, he led a bipartisan letter calling on Blinken to prioritize securing Fogel’s release.