President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Thursday that Ambassador John Bass is the one who caused the recent visa row between Turkey and the U.S.
Speaking at a meeting with provincial governors at the Beştepe Presidential Complex in Ankara, Erdoğan said "It is unacceptable that the U.S. is giving up on a strategic partner like Turkey for an ambassador that does not know his place."
"It's a shame if the U.S. is governed by a single ambassador," he added.
Erdoğan slammed the U.S.' stance on Turkey, and reiterated his criticism of U.S. support for the PKK terrorist group's Syrian wing the Democratic Union Party (PYD) and its armed branch the People's Protection Units (YPG).
Erdoğan stated that no one can claim the "terror corridor" formed south of Turkey is to fight Daesh, and the real aim is to besiege Turkey.
The president also announced that Turkey would no longer use U.S. made Sig Sauer weapons in its police force.