Mnuchin: More Sanctions on Turkey If American Pastor Is Not Released

On Thursday, U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin stated that the United States has prepared new sanctions against Turkey that will be implemented if they do not release an American pastor. Mnuchin told members of the U.S. cabinet, "In cooperation with the (President), we have sanctioned several of their cabinet members and we have more sanctions that we will impose if (Pastor Brunson) is not released." President Donald Trump also mentioned in his cabinet meeting that they (Turkey) have not been able to prove that they are a good ally. He added, "They want to keep this beloved pastor," "This is neither right nor fair." Andrew Brunson was arrested on charges of "espionage" and "terrorism" linked to the network of Fethullah Gülen, a Turkish cleric living in the U.S., and Kurdish militant groups following the failed coup in 2016. He has denied these charges. The trial of Pastor Brunson has become a significant challenge in U.S.-Turkey relations. Washington has called Brunson's trial "unfair" and has sanctioned Abdulhamit Gül, the Turkish Minister of Justice, and Süleyman Soylu, the Minister of Interior, for their roles in Brunson's detention. A White House official also warned this week that if Turkey does not release the imprisoned pastor, it will likely face more economic pressures. However, tensions have not been limited to sanctions, as the U.S. has also doubled import tariffs on steel and aluminum from Turkey. Meanwhile, Berat Albayrak, Turkey's Minister of Finance, assured international investors that Turkey will emerge from the lira crisis stronger than before. According to Reuters, Albayrak emphasized in a conference call with investors that Turkey is aware of its internal challenges, but what it is currently facing is an unusual phenomenon in the market. This comes as the lira has fallen in value against the dollar, reaching a low of 7.24 to one dollar this week.