On Thursday, President Trump tweeted out a threat of levying “large sanctions” against Turkey for their arrest of American pastor Andrew Brunson on trumped up charges of espionage related to the failed 2016 military coup. Both ABC and NBC omitted the President’s efforts from their evening broadcasts and CBS seemed shocked that he would threaten a NATO ally in that sort of way.
President Trump was very clear in his Twitter threat, saying:
The United States will impose large sanctions on Turkey for their long time detainment of Pastor Andrew Brunson, a great Christian, family man and wonderful human being. He is suffering greatly. This innocent man of faith should be released immediately!
“President Trump tweeted today the U.S. will impose large sanctions on Turkey for detaining an American Christian pastor. That would be unprecedented action against a NATO ally,” announced anchor Jeff Glor during a fleeting news brief on CBS Evening News.
Bizarrely, Glor seemed more peeved by Trump defending an American citizen arrested by a totalitarian strongman than the “NATO ally” holding one of our citizens on trumped-up charges.
“The government says he was involved in a failed coup attempt in 2016. He denies it,” Glor added. “In his tweet, the President demanded that Brunson be released immediately. Turkey's foreign minister tweeted back, ‘No one dictates to Turkey.’”
Meanwhile, on the Fox News Channel’s Special Report, fill-in anchor Mike Emanuel highlighted the dual-pronged pressure campaign by the administration. “The President made his threat today over Twitter. Vice President Mike Pence delivered the same message during a speech last night,” he reported. Fox News shared a clip of Pence’s warning:
To President Erdogan and the Turkish government, I have a message on behalf of the President of the United States of America. Released pastor Andrew Brunson now or be prepared to face the consequences.
“Turkey has previously linked Bronson's return to the extradition of a cleric it holds responsible for the failed July 2016 military coup,” Emanuel added.
This type of indifference to the Trump administration’s work to bring unjustly imprisoned Americans home was present when Secretary of State Mike Pompeo brought three hostages back from North Korea. On May 9, ABC watered down the good news by whining about the President tearing up the Iran deal.
“President Trump says he plans to be there when they arrive at Andrews Air Force base at 2:00 in the morning. Just as Iran tonight sends the President its own message, after he tore up the nuclear deal,” sensationalist anchor David Muir announced at the time.
Instead of covering this story, ABC's World News Tonight was outraged at Florida's stand your ground law and NBC Nightly News was excited about Mick Jagger's birthday and Paul McCartney playing in Liverpool. Priorities.
The transcripts are below:
CBS Evening News
July 26, 2018
6:44 p.m EasternJEFF GLOR: President Trump tweeted today the U.S. will impose large sanctions on Turkey for detaining an American Christian pastor. That would be unprecedented action against a NATO ally. Andrew Brunson is under house arrest now. The government says he was involved in a failed coup attempt in 2016. He denies it. In his tweet, the President demanded that Brunson be released immediately. Turkey's foreign minister tweeted back, "No one dictates Turkey."
Fox News Channel's Special Report
July 26, 2018
6:20 p.m. EasternMIKE EMANUEL: President Trump is threatening sanctions against Turkey if it does not free and American pastor detained for two years on terror and espionage charges. Just yesterday, Turkey released past her pastor Andrew Brunson from jail but left him under house arrest. The President made his threat today over Twitter. Vice President Mike Pence delivered the same message during a speech last night.
MIKE PENCE: To President Erdogan and the Turkish government, I have a message on behalf of the President of the United States of America. Released pastor Andrew Brunson now or be prepared to face the consequences. [Applause]
EMANUEL: Turkey has previously linked Bronson's return to the extradition of a cleric it holds responsible for the failed July 2016 military coup.
