- President Donald Trump has applauded the release of former U.S. Marine Robert Gilman from a Russian prison after President Vladimir Putin granted him a humanitarian pardon.
- The 32-year-old had been serving a four-and-a-half-year sentence following his January 2022 arrest for allegedly kicking a police officer, a charge his family disputed.
- Gilman’s father said that his son had fallen ill during the incident and kicked the officer accidentally, adding that the uninjured officer dropped the charges and did not offer testimony at Gilman's trial.
- “After my discussions with President Vladimir Putin, Russia has agreed to release him, very much on a humanitarian basis. We appreciate this decision, and the fact that Russia asked for no one in return,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post . “I just spoke to him, and he had one request — A GREAT cheeseburger when he lands. I will take care of that!”
- Gilman is flying to Washington, accompanied by his mother and medical personnel, before being transferred to a rehabilitation center in Texas.
IN FULL
Russia frees imprisoned US Marine as ‘goodwill gesture’ citing Putin’s friendship with Trump
