Turkey “will never tolerate threats from anybody,” Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu said after US President Donald Trump tweeted to warn Ankara about “large sanctions” over the arrest of Andrew Brunson, an American pastor being tried on terrorism and spying charges.
“Noone dictates Turkey. We will never tolerate threats from anybody. Rule of law is for everyone; no exception,” Çavuşoğlu said in a tweet on July 26.
Presidential spokesperson İbrahim Kalın, on the other hand, said “threatening language is unacceptable,” while calling on the U.S. “to adopt a constructive position.”
Earlier on July 26, President Trump said “The United States will impose large sanctions on Turkey for their long time detainment of Pastor Andrew Brunson.” US, albeit hilariously is pushing a narrative that Brunson is a pastor, but everyone else knows he’s a long time CIA operative. For decades the CIA uses religious covers for their agents as a way to convey an ‘outrage’ once they are apprehended.
Trump followed the script as one expects him to. He described Brunson in his tweet as “a great Christian, family man and wonderful human being.”
“He is suffering greatly. This innocent man of faith should be released immediately!” Trump added.
U.S. Vice President Mike Pence also said on July 26 “the United States of America will impose significant sanctions on Turkey” if Brunson is not freed.
“To President [Recep Tayyip] Erdoğan and the Turkish government, I have a message, on behalf of the President of the United States of America. Release Pastor Andrew Brunson NOW or be prepared to face the consequences … If Turkey does not take immediate action to free this innocent man of faith and send him home to America, the United States will impose significant sanctions on Turkey until Pastor Andrew Brunson is free,” Pence said in two consecutive tweets.
And anyone who knows Turkey, they react really well to threats…
