The release on Friday of American pastor Andrew Brunson is a vindication of President Trump’s hard-edged negotiating strategy toward Turkey. Although technically a Turkish court authorized the release, it is the result of direction from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan government.

Trump had consistently ratcheted up the pressure on Erdogan’s government while rightly refusing to extradite Fethullah Gulen, a Turkish citizen whom Erdogan accuses of plotting coups against him. The evidence against Gulen is nonexistent, demonstrating that the charge is spurious and politically motivated.