(CNN) — American Robert Gilman, who was released from Russian detention for humanitarian reasons on Tuesday amid severe concerns about his health, has arrived back in the United States.
Gilman, a 32-year-old Marine veteran, had been detained in Russia since 2022. President Donald Trump said Tuesday he had spoken with Gilman, whose advocates and family had feared was “near death” after allegedly being subjected to physical and psychological torture.
“After my discussions with President Vladimir Putin, Russia has agreed to release him, very much on a Humanitarian Basis,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post Tuesday.
According to a US official, Putin approved a pardon for Gilman.
“We appreciate this decision, and the fact that Russia asked for no one in return — No exchange took place,” Trump added in his post. It is unclear when Trump and Putin spoke about the case.
Kirill Dmitriev, a Kremlin special envoy and head of the Russian sovereign wealth fund, also said Tuesday that Gilman had been freed from detention “for humanitarian reasons.”
Gilman arrived at Washington Dulles International Airport outside of Washington, DC, where he was met by Trump’s Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and national security aide Seb Gorka.
“Tonight, I had the profound privilege of welcoming Robert Gilman home to the United States after more than four years of detention in Russia,” Witkoff said in a post on X.
“Robert is a patriot — a former United States Marine who served our country with honor. He can now finally return to his family and receive the medical care he needs,” said Witkoff, alongside photos of him with Gilman and his mother, wearing Trump slogan hats.
“Our Marine is safely back on American soil,” Gorka wrote on X, adding Gilman was presented with “cheese burgers and milkshakes.”
Trump had said in his Truth Social post earlier that when he spoke with Gilman, “he had one request — A GREAT cheeseburger when he lands.”
A US official earlier told CNN that Gilman was receiving medical care and had been transported back to the United States on a specialized medical plane. His mother, who had traveled to Russia to try to see her son, was with him on the flight.
A source familiar with the matter described Gilman as verbal, but non-ambulatory.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio welcomed Gilman’s release, but noted the administration is “still seeking the immediate return of all other unjustly detained Americans, including wrongful detainee Stephen Hubbard.” There are numerous other Americans who remain detained in Russia.
Eric Lebson, the chief strategy officer of Global Reach, told CNN last week that Gilman had fallen into a “dissociative stupor” more than six weeks ago and there were concerns that he could die in Russian custody. A State Department spokesperson last week echoed that they were “deeply concerned” about his “health and continued detention in Russia.”
Lebson said Tuesday that “it is too early to know Robert’s long-term medical prognosis.”
After he landed back in the DC area, Gilman headed to a US military hospital in San Antonio Texas, sources told CNN. Before his arrival, Global Reach said that Gilman would head to the hospital, “where he will be medically and psychologically assessed and treated.” Many Americans who have been designated as “wrongful detainees” have been treated at a military facility there after release. A State Department spokesperson said Tuesday that Gilman had been designated as wrongfully detained.
Gilman’s sister, Lexie Hudson, expressed thanks to US President Donald Trump for “saving (her) brother’s life.”
“There is no other reason that Robert is alive today other than that President Trump heard about the case and took action,” she said in a statement that also thanked Democratic Sen. Ed Markey.
“I am looking forward to seeing Robert. I haven’t been able to speak with him once since this all began,” Hudson said. “We will make sure that he gets the treatment and support that he needs.”
Gilman was arrested in January 2022. Russian officials alleged that he was drunk and got into an altercation with a police officer. Lebson denied that account, saying Gilman was hit by the police, got sick, and accidentally kicked the officer.
Gilman was sentenced to four and a half years in prison. He is one of multiple former US Marines who have been arrested in Russia, including Trevor Reed and Paul Whelan.
Numerous Americans remain detained in Russia, including Andre Khachatoorian, Olga Jezler, Chuck Zimmerman, David Barnes, Aleksander Antonov and Stephen Hubbard.
The State Department spokesperson said Tuesday that they hope Gilman’s release “leads to the release of Americans unjustly held in Russia, such as wrongful detainee Stephen Hubbard.”
This story has been updated with additional information.
Correction: This story has been updated to correct the name of the airport where Gilman arrived in the US, which was Washington Dulles International Airport.
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