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President Trump praised the release of Pastor Andrew Brunson on Friday night at his rally in Lebanon, Ohio.
Brunson, he said, is "free from prison" and is "in the air" while traveling to Germany, where he will undergo a "brief check".
"He's coming to Washington, DC, tomorrow and we'll say hello to him," said Trump, adding, "He suffered a lot, you know, all about Pastor Brunson … He went through a lot of things, but he's on the the way back.
Moments after the president's remarks, Brunson landed at Ramstein Air Force Base in Germany, according to a senior administration official. Brunson should spend some time in Ramstein.
A White House spokesman said Friday that Brunson would be expected in Washington on Saturday.
Some antecedents: A Turkish court released Brunson Friday, two years after he was taken into custody, to help prepare a coup against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
The case had deteriorated relations between Turkey and the United States, compounded by Trump's defense of Brunson while his administration was making religious freedom a cause.
On Friday, the court sentenced Brunson to three years and one month in jail, but chose to release him on the basis of his time, as well as his behavior during the proceedings, said his lawyer. Prosecutors sought a 10-year prison sentence.
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