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By Gabe Whisnant
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President Donald Trump announced Tuesday that former U.S. Marine Robert Gilman has been released from Russian custody and is returning to the United States, saying the Kremlin agreed to free him on a "humanitarian basis" following discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Gilman was one of at least 10 Americans known to be imprisoned in Russia before his release, underscoring a long-running point of tension between Washington and Moscow. Trump said that "no exchange took place" when Gilman was released.
In a statement posted to Truth Social, Trump said Gilman was due to arrive at Joint Base Andrews on Tuesday night, where administration representatives would welcome him home.
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Trump added that he had spoken directly with Gilman, who he said had just one request upon landing: "A GREAT cheeseburger."
"I will take care of that," Trump wrote, adding that his administration has prioritized returning Americans detained abroad and has secured the release of hundreds of people from overseas custody.
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Who Is Robert Gilman?
Gilman, a Massachusetts resident who worked as an English teacher, had been detained in Russia since 2022. Russian authorities accused him of assaulting a police officer after an incident aboard a train in the city of Voronezh. His family, including his father, Vladimir Gilman, who emigrated from Russia to Massachusetts, has disputed the allegations, arguing that Gilman became ill during the encounter and did not intentionally assault the officer.
According to a website created by supporters seeking his release, Gilman served in the U.S. Marine Corps before pursuing a career teaching English overseas. He launched an English-language teaching business in Poland and was traveling in late 2021 to begin a new teaching job in neighboring Moldova when illness forced him to remain in Russia longer than planned.
After recovering, he visited relatives outside Moscow before traveling back to the capital to address issues with his passport at the U.S. Embassy. His family says it was during that journey in January 2022 that the events leading to his arrest unfolded.
Over the following years, Gilman received additional convictions tied to alleged assaults on prison staff, and his sentence was ultimately extended to 10 years, according to reports.
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Concerns Over Robert Gilman's Health
His release comes after mounting concerns over his deteriorating health. Advocacy group Global Reach, which had been working on his behalf, said Gilman had spent weeks in what doctors described as a "dissociative stupor" and had been transferred from a prison hospital to a civilian medical facility.
Eric Lebson, chief strategy officer for Global Reach, said in a statement shared with Newsweek, “It is too early to know Robert’s long-term medical prognosis. The family has asked for space while they reunite with Robert and work to support his recovery.”
Senator Ed Markey, a Massachusetts Democrat, said Gilman was "essentially catatonic" and suffering from severe pneumonia before his release.
"It is a tragedy that it took Robert's near-death condition for his case to receive the attention that it required for his release to be negotiated," Markey said. "Throughout his detention, Robert was subjected to physical torture, forced medication, and provocations by Russian authorities. There is no doubt that his treatment by Russian authorities is the reason Robert is in this precarious state today."
The State Department had repeatedly raised Gilman's case with Russian officials and pressed for his release on humanitarian grounds, according to officials. A State Department spokesperson confirmed Tuesday that Gilman had been freed and was returning to the United States. U.S. officials said he was traveling aboard a State Department aircraft and would be evaluated by medical personnel during the flight before receiving additional treatment in Texas.
"The Russians treated my brother so badly," Gilman's sister, Lexie Hudson, said. "They hurt him for no reason, other than that he was both an American and a Marine. What did they get out of this? Why did they do this to such a wonderful person?"
Why Did Russia Release Gilman?
While U.S. officials have characterized Gilman's release as a humanitarian gesture tied to his deteriorating health, some analysts see broader geopolitical considerations at play.
Brian Taylor, a professor of political science and director of the Moynihan Institute of Global Affairs at Syracuse University, said the decision was likely influenced by both Gilman's medical condition and Moscow's relationship with the Trump administration.
Taylor told Newsweek the release could represent an effort by Putin to "curry favor with Trump" as discussions surrounding the war in Ukraine potentially reemerge. He added that Trump at times appeared to have moved "more towards Ukraine" this summer than in the past, and suggested the move could be part of an effort by Moscow to alter that dynamic and encourage U.S. pressure on Kyiv to make territorial concessions.
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Other Americans Remain in Russian Custody
While celebrating Gilman's release, Global Reach urged the Trump administration to continue pressing for the return of other Americans still detained in Russia.
The organization said five Americans it believes qualify for wrongful detention designation under the Levinson Act remain imprisoned in the country: Aleksandr Antonov, David Barnes, Olga Jezler, Andre Khachatoorian and Chuck Zimmerman. The Levinson Act is the federal law that guides U.S. efforts to recover Americans held abroad.
Lebson warned that each is facing serious medical concerns and said the administration should use the momentum from Gilman's release to secure their freedom.
"We have five other Americans still being held in Russia and each of them has a medical situation that is moving in the same direction as Robert's," Lebson said in a statement. "It is critical that the Administration uses the momentum of Robert's release" to bring them home.
Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Sam Wilson.
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