Trump threatens Turkey with more consequences

washington - President Donald Trump once again made it clear that the United States 'will not pay' for the release of the American pastor Andrew Brunson. Trump calls the pastor 'a great patriotic hostage.'

'We will not pay anything for the release of an innocent man, but we will take back Turkey,' Trump said via Twitter. He also said that Turkey has benefited from the United States for years.

The US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo had already told the Turkish ambassador earlier in the day that the Turks should unconditionally release Brunson. Ambassador Serdar Kilic was at the White House to discuss the conditions of Brunson's release. He was told by Pompeo that the Americans were not negotiating this.