President Trump on Saturday said he did not make any concessions to Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to secure the release of American pastor Andrew Brunson, who is scheduled to visit the Oval Office Saturday afternoon.
Trump disputed earlier reports that Turkey agreed to release Brunson as part of a broader deal.
{mosads}“There was NO DEAL made with Turkey for the release and return of Pastor Andrew Brunson. I don’t make deals for hostages,” he tweeted Saturday morning. “There was, however, great appreciation on behalf of the United States, which will lead to good, perhaps great, relations between the United States & Turkey!”
Trump later praised Brunson in a tweet as “a great Christian who has been through such a tough experience.”
He also thanked Erdoğan for his help.
NBC News reported Thursday that Turkey agreed to release Brunson, who had been detained for two years on charges of spying and aiding terrorists, after striking a “secret deal” with the Erdoğan administration.
NBC, citing persons familiar with the negotiations, reported that Trump agreed to ease economic pressure on Turkey in exchange for Brunson’s release.
The pastor’s freedom was a high priority of Christian evangelical leaders, who praised Trump for ending the impasse.
Franklin Graham, the son of the late evangelist Billy Graham, visited the White House several times to press for Brunson’s release and televangelist James Robison told Politico Friday that Trump is “doing a great job of leadership.”
The president has also touted his work to free American hostages from North Korea and claimed that he didn’t make any concessions in that case either.
“We got our hostages back, and I didn’t pay $1.8 billion, like the previous administration. I paid nothing,” Trump said recently during an Oval Office appearance.