American pastor Andrew Brunson is finally free to come home from Turkey
American pastor Andrew Brunson was released by a Turkish court Friday and permitted to fly home to the United States, where he will meet with President Trump Saturday.
The president celebrated Brunson's freedom before his Ohio rally Friday night, saying the pastor had "suffered greatly" but is in "good shape." "He'll be stopping most likely in Germany for a full check-up, and then he's going to be coming to the Oval Office, most likely on Saturday," Trump said. "But we're very honored to have him back with us."
Brunson, who was convicted on terror charges for supposedly supporting forces seeking to overthrow the Turkish government, was held in a Turkish prison for nearly two years before being transferred to house arrest in July; his wife, Norine, was also jailed for 13 days. The family has consistently denied all charges.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
"I love Jesus. I love Turkey," Brunson said at court before his release. "This is the day our family has been praying for," he added in a statement after. "I am delighted to be on my way home to the United States."
Update 10:28 a.m.: President Trump posted a pair of tweets on Brunson's release Saturday morning, the second strenuously denying he had negotiated its accomplishment. "There was NO DEAL made with Turkey for the release," Trump wrote. "I don't make deals for hostages."
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Bonnie Kristian was a deputy editor and acting editor-in-chief of TheWeek.com. She is a columnist at Christianity Today and author of Untrustworthy: The Knowledge Crisis Breaking Our Brains, Polluting Our Politics, and Corrupting Christian Community (forthcoming 2022) and A Flexible Faith: Rethinking What It Means to Follow Jesus Today (2018). Her writing has also appeared at Time Magazine, CNN, USA Today, Newsweek, the Los Angeles Times, and The American Conservative, among other outlets.
-
'Biden is smart to keep the border-security pressure on'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
Bird flu worries mount as virus found in milk, cows
Speed Read The FDA found traces of the virus in pasteurized grocery store milk
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Palazzo Durazzo Suites in Genoa: a palatial gem in northern Italy
The Week Recommends Live your Italian dream in this astonishing and recently restored palace in the heart of the city
By Nick Hendry Published
-
Puffed rice and yoga: inside the collapsed tunnel where Indian workers await rescue
Speed Read Workers trapped in collapsed tunnel are suffering from dysentery and anxiety over their rescue
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
More than 2,000 dead following massive earthquake in Morocco
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans Published
-
Mexico's next president will almost certainly be its 1st female president
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published
-
North Korea's Kim to visit Putin in eastern Russia to discuss arms sales for Ukraine war, U.S. says
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published
-
Gabon's military leader sworn in following coup in latest African uprising
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans Published
-
Nobody seems surprised Wagner's Prigozhin died under suspicious circumstances
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published
-
Western mountain climbers allegedly left Pakistani porter to die on K2
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans Published
-
'Circular saw blades' divide controversial Rio Grande buoys installed by Texas governor
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published