At a campaign rally in Ohio, President Trump on Friday whipped up the crowd by announcing that American Pastor Andrew Brunson had been freed from a Turkish prison.
At a campaign rally in Ohio, President Trump on Friday whipped up the crowd by announcing that American Pastor Andrew Brunson had been freed from a Turkish prison.
“He is now free from jail and he is in the air heading to Germany where he will get off for a brief check and I think he is going to be in great shape,” Mr. Trump said to cheers from the crowd in Lebanon, Ohio.
“He is coming to Washington D.C. tomorrow and we will say hello to him,” said the president. “He went through a lot but now he is on his way back.”
Mr. Brunson was arrested by the Turkish government more than a year ago on charges related to terrorism and espionage. The government argued that the American pastor was involved in the failed 2016 military coup, which Mr. Brunson and the U.S. denied.
Mr. Trump said that securing Mr. Brunson’s release followed his other in freeing American’s unjustly imprisoned overseas.
He noted the release earlier this year of three Americans from a North Korean prison and the release of an Egyptian American charity worker locked up in Egypt for nearly five years.
“We had a lot of success,” said Mr. Trump.
Mr. Brunson will undergo a medical exam at the U.S. Air Force’s Ramstein Air Base in Germany.
He will return to the U.S. on an Air Force plane Saturday afternoon. He is expected then to meet with Mr. Trump at the White House.
“He is now free from jail and he is in the air heading to Germany where he will get off for a brief check and I think he is going to be in great shape,” Mr. Trump said to cheers from the crowd in Lebanon, Ohio.
“He is coming to Washington D.C. tomorrow and we will say hello to him,” said the president. “He went through a lot but now he is on his way back.”
Mr. Brunson was arrested by the Turkish government more than a year ago on charges related to terrorism and espionage. The government argued that the American pastor was involved in the failed 2016 military coup, which Mr. Brunson and the U.S. denied.
Mr. Trump said that securing Mr. Brunson’s release followed his other in freeing American’s unjustly imprisoned overseas.
He noted the release earlier this year of three Americans from a North Korean prison and the release of an Egyptian American charity worker locked up in Egypt for nearly five years.
“We had a lot of success,” said Mr. Trump.
Mr. Brunson will undergo a medical exam at the U.S. Air Force’s Ramstein Air Base in Germany.
He will return to the U.S. on an Air Force plane Saturday afternoon. He is expected then to meet with Mr. Trump at the White House.
