President Donald Trump announced Tuesday that former U.S. Marine Robert Gilman has been released from Russian detention on what the administration described as a humanitarian basis, ending more than four years of imprisonment in Russia. Trump said Gilman is now traveling back to the United States to be reunited with his family and to receive further medical attention after his health deteriorated while in custody. The announcement followed a sustained U.S. effort to secure Gilman’s release, alongside concerns from advocates that his condition had become life-threatening.
Gilman, a U.S. citizen, was arrested in Russia in January 2022 and later imprisoned for 1,666 days, according to the Trump administration’s account of the case. During his time in custody, U.S. officials and the organizations monitoring his situation said his condition worsened. As hospital officials’ reports were conveyed to the U.S. government, the risk to his life increased—prompting what the administration characterized as direct government intervention. In its statement, the Trump team said Russian authorities agreed to the release after discussions that included Russian President Vladimir Putin and that the decision was made without demanding a prisoner swap.
In remarks reported by The Hill, Trump said Russia agreed to release Gilman on humanitarian grounds and that Washington did not request the release of a Russian prisoner in return. Secretary of State Marco Rubio echoed the administration’s message, saying, “Today, after more than four years of detention in Russia, Robert Gilman is on his way home to be reunited with his family.” The wording underscored the emphasis placed by U.S. officials on the humanitarian rationale for the outcome, rather than a negotiated exchange.
Multiple outlets also reported that U.S. officials confirmed the timing of Gilman’s exit from detention. CNN reported that two American officials said Gilman was freed Tuesday and is receiving medical care, with Global Reach—an organization advocating for his family—saying he is on his way to a U.S. military hospital in Texas for medical and psychological assessment and treatment. The group also said Gilman’s family traveled to meet him, including his mother, who was in Russia attempting to see him at the hospital. CNN described the release as part of a developing situation that would likely involve continued monitoring once he reaches U.S. care.
CBS News similarly quoted Trump as saying Putin agreed to the release on a “humanitarian basis,” adding that “Russia asked for no one in return.” CBS reported that Gilman is expected to arrive at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland later Tuesday, where representatives of the Trump administration would welcome him back. From there, the next phase of his care is set to take place at a U.S. military hospital in Texas, where officials and advocates say he will be examined for both medical and mental health needs. CBS News also reported that Gilman’s mother, Nancy, was flying back with him.
Advocates detailed the severity of the medical circumstances leading up to the release. HuffPost, drawing on Associated Press reporting, said that Gilman had been held in Russia for more than four years on disputed charges and described efforts to secure his freedom amid allegations of abuse and worsening health. It reported that Gilman had been moved from a prison setting to a civilian hospital, where he was receiving medical support including a feeding tube. The account also said he was handcuffed to a bed—details that, while contested in different contexts, were presented by advocates as part of the conditions that raised alarm among those pressing for his release. HuffPost reported that Global Reach said the family flew to Texas to be with him and to ensure he could get appropriate treatment.
Understanding why Gilman was detained and what sentence he served has remained central to the political and diplomatic ramifications of his case. CNN reported that he was serving a prison sentence tied to assaulting a Russian police officer in 2022, with reference to his appearance at a court hearing in Voronezh in April 2022. The existence of formal charges and sentencing did not, however, reduce the administration’s focus on humanitarian conditions and the reported deterioration of his health while in custody. In this phase, U.S. officials framed the release as a response to medical necessity and a willingness by Russia to let him leave without a prisoner exchange.
With Gilman now headed home, U.S. officials and advocates said the primary next step is comprehensive evaluation in the United States. Reports indicate he will undergo medical and psychological assessment and treatment at a U.S. military hospital in Texas, reflecting concerns that long-term detention can affect both physical and mental well-being. The administration’s emphasis on reunion with family—particularly Gilman’s mother—also signals that the case has not only diplomatic dimensions but also an immediate human one, as his loved ones prepare to support him during recovery.
The release, announced amid ongoing tensions between Washington and Moscow, may also reinvigorate scrutiny of how detainees are handled in Russia and how humanitarian conditions are assessed and acted upon. But for now, the U.S. government’s message is clear: after more than four years detained, Gilman is being brought back to American care on humanitarian grounds, with the administration saying Russia asked for nothing in return and that Gilman is on his way to treatment in Texas.
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