Freed US pastor, Andrew Brunson met with Donald Trump at the White House, prayed for him
The pastor touched down at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland
following his release on Friday and was pictured kissing an American
flag that he was given.
Trump thanked Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan for helping with his release. He said the US had been working "long and hard" to secure Mr Brunson's release, and told Mr Brunson he had "galvanised this country" with his strength and faith.
Trump introduced Brunson and praised his resilience throughout the two years he spent in jail.
I just want to congratulate you because you have galvanized this country, Trump said.
There's so much interest, and it's your faith, it's your strength, what you've done, gone through.
After introducing his family, Brunson thanked Trump for working to negotiate his release "from the time you took office."
We especially want to thank the administration, they really fought for us, unusually so, Brunson said, addressing the President. From the time you took office, I know that you've been engaged.
Trump used the opportunity to ask the couple who they had voted for in the presidential election that took place weeks after the pastor’s arrest in 2016.
Can I ask you one question?" Trump asked her after the blessing.
Who did you vote for?
The group laughed, and the pastor assured Trump that he sent in an absentee ballot from Turkey voting for him.
I knew the answer, I would never do that to myself -- that could be too tough, Trump said, before congratulating the family and expressing hope for an improved relationship with Turkey due to Brunson's release.
Brunson was arrested over alleged links to political groups, including the banned Gulenist movement, after a failed coup attempt in 2016.
On Friday, a Turkish court sentenced Mr Brunson to three years in jail - but freed him because of the time he had already spent in detention.
Additional espionage charges against him were also dropped by the court.
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