On July 27 the deal fell apart. Erdogan had tried to flatter Trump by telling him that surely he could get Özkan released. The American president said he could and then mentioned Brunson. But U.S. officials would later learn that Erdogan never thought this was a tit for tat. “Trump left the meeting believing he had personally negotiated it. He had not,” said one person familiar with the talks. On top of that, something went wrong in the conversation. “Somehow, Trump left Erdogan with the impression he could get more for his dollar.”
