Pastor Andrew Brunson prayed for President Trump while he was being held in Turkey on terrorism-related charges, according to one of the key people who advocated for his freedom.
U.S. Commissioner on International Religious Freedom and Family Research Council President Tony Perkins, who lobbied for Brunson’s release over the course of his two years in prison, revealed the tidbit in an appearance on C-SPAN on Tuesday.
“This is a great man, pastor Brunson and his wife Norine, just wonderful people,” Perkins told C-SPAN. “They said, ‘We pray for the president every day.’ He said, ‘I prayed for the president when I was in prison.’ He said, ‘I want to thank the president for not forgetting me.'”
[Related: Trump considered breaking off all relations with Turkey over detained pastor]
Perkins was also present for the South Carolina pastor and his wife Norine’s White House visit last week to thank Trump in person for his administration’s work in securing Brunson’s ability to come home. Brunson, 50, was arrested by officials in Turkey in 2016 and accused of being involved in efforts to overthrow Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s regime as part of a failed coup attempt that year.
Brunson also prayed for Trump during his Oval Office encounter with the commander-in-chief.
“He said, ‘Would it be appropriate for me to pray for the president?’ I said, ‘Absolutely, I think it would be more than appropriate for you to pray for the president.’ And so, that’s what he did,” Perkins said of Brunson. “We landed a few minutes before noon at Andrews Air Force Base. And shortly thereafter, he was at the White House with the president.”
Brunson was freed last week after a court in Turkey sentenced him to more than three years for aiding terrorism. He was released for time already served on the ground of good behavior.
