Secretary of State Mike Pompeo Michael (Mike) Richard PompeoPutin nominated for Nobel Peace Prize The Hill's Morning Report - Sponsored by Facebook - Trump previews SCOTUS nominee as 'totally brilliant' Pompeo accused of stumping for Trump ahead of election MORE has reportedly been caught off guard by recent moves by the White House.

NBC News reported Thursday that Pompeo was surprised by Trump’s tweet Thursday that the U.S. would “impose large sanctions on Turkey” over the detention of American pastor Andrew Brunson, who has been imprisoned in the country over charges of espionage and terrorism.

ADVERTISEMENT

Pompeo has been involved in talks to free Brunson, who has been imprisoned for a year and a half in Turkey. The charges are tied to an attempted coup against Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

The U.S. asserts that the charges are false, and officials have demanded that Brunson be freed.

A State Department source told NBC News that Pompeo has been involved in behind-the-scenes coordination.

But Pompeo also did not know that the White House had extended an invitation to Russian President Vladimir Putin to visit Washington, D.C., this fall for a second meeting with the president, according to NBC News.

Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats Daniel (Dan) Ray CoatsFBI chief says Russia is trying to interfere in election to undermine Biden The Hill's Morning Report - Sponsored by The Air Line Pilots Association - Trump, Biden renew push for Latino support Former Intel chief had 'deep suspicions' that Putin 'had something on Trump': book MORE similarly did not know of the invitation until White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders announced it in a tweet that was read on stage during a live interview with Coats.

The Kremlin said this week that Russia is not prepared to accept Trump’s invitation for a second meeting. And the White House said Wednesday that Trump and Putin would not meet again until next year, citing special counsel Robert Mueller Robert (Bob) MuellerCNN's Toobin warns McCabe is in 'perilous condition' with emboldened Trump CNN anchor rips Trump over Stone while evoking Clinton-Lynch tarmac meeting The Hill's 12:30 Report: New Hampshire fallout MORE’s probe into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.