U.S. President Donald Trump tweeted on July 26 to warn Ankara about “large sanctions” over the arrest of Andrew Brunson, an American pastor being tried on terrorism and spying charges.
Cavusoglu called Pompeo the same day to convey Turkey’s response to the strong statements from the U.S. administration, Hurriyet daily reported.
According to a Turkish Foreign Ministry source, Cavusoglu told his U.S. counter part that Turkey “will not bow down to anyone’s threats”, while noting that “the rule of law applies to everyone without exception.”
Brunson, a Christian pastor from North Carolina who has lived in Turkey for more than two decades, was indicted on charges of having links with the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and the Fethullahist Terrorist Organization (FETO), which Ankara blames for the failed coup in 2016.
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