published Jul 26, 2018, 10:37:49 AM, by Jennifer Epstein
(Bloomberg) —
U.S. President Donald Trump said he will impose “large sanctions” on Turkey over the detention of an American pastor who’s been accused of aiding a failed 2016 coup in the country.

Andrew Brunson is “a great Christian, family man and wonderful human being,” Trump said in a tweet Thursday. “He is suffering greatly. This innocent man of faith should be released immediately!”

Donald J. Trump @realDonaldTrump The United States will impose large sanctions on Turkey for their long time detainment of Pastor Andrew Brunson, a great Christian, family man and wonderful human being. He is suffering greatly. This innocent man of faith should be released immediately!
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View original tweet.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s government has charged Brunson with espionage and collusion with terrorist groups, accusing him of helping individuals behind the failed overthrow. He was released to house arrest on Wednesday.

Vice President Mike Pence warned earlier Thursday that the U.S. was prepared to impose sanctions on Brunson’s behalf.

“Release pastor Andrew Brunson now or be prepared to face the consequences,” Pence said at the State Department’s International Religious Freedom Ministerial. Brunson had spent nearly two years in jail before Turkey released him to house arrest on Wednesday, a step that had been seen as likely to ease heightened tensions between the two countries.

Pence, who said he spoke to Brunson on Wednesday, described the pastor’s move to house arrest as “a welcome first step” but “not good enough.”

The Turkish lira extended losses, leading EMFX declines, after Pence’s sanctions threat Thursday.

Secretary of State Michael Pompeo also said Wednesday that the move to house arrest was insufficient. “We have seen no credible evidence against Mr. Brunson, and we call on Turkish authorities to resolve his case immediately in a transparent and fair manner,” Pompeo said in a statement.

Trump had said last week on Twitter that Turkey’s failure to release Brunson was a “total disgrace” and called on Erdogan to “do something to free this wonderful Christian husband & father.”

Brunson’s detention has come at a critical time in U.S.-Turkey relations. Erdogan has been infuriated by U.S. support for Kurdish rebels in Syria who he views as linked to domestic terror groups. And his decision to purchase a Russian missile system has raised questions about Turkey’s role in the NATO alliance. Turkey has NATO’s second-biggest military.

The missile system purchase and other tensions have also prompted some U.S. lawmakers to call for a halt in transfers of the F-35 jet to Turkey, even though several key parts of the fighter are made in Turkey. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis has opposed that effort, but the House-Senate conference report on the Pentagon’s fiscal 2019 funding bill calls for transfers to be delayed until a report on Turkey is completed by the Pentagon.

Turkey has also demanded the U.S. extradite Fethullah Gulen, a cleric and former Erdogan ally living in Pennsylvania, who Turkey says masterminded a coup plot.

Trump and Erdogan, who last month won re-election in a vote that granted him broad new powers, were seen speaking at length during a gathering of NATO leaders in Brussels earlier this month.

–With assistance from Nick Wadhams.To contact the reporter on this story: Jennifer Epstein in Washington at jepstein32@bloomberg.net To contact the editors responsible for this story: Alex Wayne at awayne3@bloomberg.net Mike Dorning, Joshua Gallu
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