"Pastor Andrew Brunson, released by Turkey, will be with me in the Oval Office at 2:30 p.m..." tweeted Trump. "It will be wonderful to see and meet him. He is a great Christian who has been through such a tough experience.
Brunson, 50, landed in the United States around noon (local time) after a medical check-up at US military hospital in Germany.
Just landed at Andrews AFB with Pastor Brunson and his wife Norine. They are thankful to be safely home in the USA. Under this administration being an American means something! @realDonaldTrump @VP @SecPompeo pic.twitter.com/YOjoEOCX6k
— Tony Perkins (@tperkins) October 13, 2018
Both Trump and Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan expressed they had no deal. However, Trump did "thank President @RT_Erdogan for his help!" in a tweet.
"There was NO DEAL made with Turkey for the release and return of Pastor Andrew Brunson. I don’t make deals for hostages," he separately tweeted.
The independence of the Turkish judiciary system was called into question prior to the Brunson case, as political opponents accused Erdogan's Justice and Development Party (AKP)-dominated government of having sway following a failed military coup in July 2016.
"Dear Mr. President @realDonaldTrump, as I always stress, the Turkish judiciary made an impartial decision," Erdogan wrote on Twitter on Saturday.
In 2017, Turkey narrowly passed a constitutional referendum that went into effect after snap elections were held in May with opposition party leaders campaigning in jail. The constitutional changes grant tremendous powers to the
Since the coup, 142,874 people have been detained, 81,417 arrested, 4,463 judges or prosecutors dismissed, 319 journalists arrested, and 189 media outlets shutdown, according to Turkey Purge. More than 170,000 people have lost their jobs.
“As I’ve always emphasized, the Turkish judiciary made its decision independently. I hope the U.S. and Turkey will continue its cooperation as it befits two allies," tweeted Trump.
The US lacks an ambassador in Turkey. Both countries have been in a diplomatic row over reciprocal trade sanctions, tariffs, US support for the Kurdish-led Peoples' Protection Units (YPG) in the fight against ISIS in northern Syria, and visa policy among other issues.
Turkey alleges the YPG is linked to the banned Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). The PKK is currently engaged in an armed fight against the Turkish state for greater minority, cultural, and political rights.
Ankara blames followers of Muslim preacher Fethullah Gulen for planning the coup. Gulen lives in self-imposed exile in Pennsylvania.
Brunson was convicted of providing assistance to the PKK and Gulenists, but was given a sentence on Friday that allowed him to walk free based on time served and good behaviour.
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via Defense News
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