Donald Trump welcomes Andrew Brunson home with Oval Office celebration

An American pastor released from a Turkish prison on Fridayknelt at Donald Trump's feet on Saturday, praying for the US president during a gathering in the Oval Office. 

Andrew Brunson, a 50-year-old preacher from North Carolina, who has lived in Turkey for over 25 years, asked Mr Trump if he could pray for him.

“I need it more than anybody in this room,” the president replied.

Mr Brunson then knelt, asking God to give Mr Trump “the wisdom to lead this country into righteousness”.

He continued: "Protect him from slander, from enemies. Fill him with your wisdom, and strength, and perseverance."

Mr Brunson was detained in October 2016 and charged with links to Kurdish militants and supporters of Fethullah Gulen, the cleric blamed by Turkey for a failed coup attempt that year.

Mr Trump said the pastor's release marked a significant improvement in US-Turkish relations.

“This is a great step towards having the kind of relationship with Turkey that we want to have,” he said, emphasizing that the US had not made any payment or granted concessions to Turkey in exchange for his release.

"The only deal, if you can call it a deal, is a psychological one," he said. "We feel much different to Turkey today than we did yesterday. I think we have a chance now to have a really great relationship," Telegraph.co.uk quoted him as saying.