Israel deported Ebru Özkan on July 15, a week after indicting her for ties to the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas – charges her lawyer denied. She had been arrested by Israel while on a tourist visa in June. Her case angered Turkey.

The Washington Post reported on Thursday that Trump asked Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a July 14 phone call to let Özkan go in a “trade” for Andrew Brunson, a US pastor who has spent 21 months in Turkish detention.

“I can confirm that there was such a request by President Trump,” an Israeli official said on condition of anonymity.

Brunson, who denies charges of links to a group Ankara says was behind a failed 2016 coup, was moved to house arrest on Wednesday, prompting the Trump administration to threaten sanctions against Nato member Turkey.