John Bass

United States Secretary of State Rex Tilllerson praised efforts by U.S. Ambassador to Ankara John Bass on Aug. 1 for his efforts in bilateral relations between Ankara and Washington, despite a bitter ongoing dispute over "terrorism support." 

Senior members of the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA) and Ted Poe (R-TX), Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission Co-Chairman Jim McGovern (D-MA), and Representatives Jim Costa (D-CA) and John Sarbanes (D-MD) condemned Turkish President Erdogan’s violent crackdown – both in Turkey and the U.S.

U.S. Ambassador to Turkey John Bass said on July 13 that Washington continued to lend support to Ankara's efforts to bring those who are responsible for the last year's failed coup attempt to justice.

U.S. Ambassador to Ankara John Bass has said Turkey should "avoid making the mistakes that the U.S. made" in its fight against terrorism, warning that an overly broad definition of terrorism could erode fundamental freedoms. 

The mayor of Istanbul's Beşiktaş district has apologized over a tweet shared on the municipality's Twitter account celebrating LGBT Pride Week.

The Beşiktaş Municipality on June 19 had shared the image of an LGBT flag hung on the façade of its building with a caption reading "We are the soldiers of Freddie Mercury."

The tweet was deleted from the account after a few hours.

The Foreign Ministry has said a resolution passed by the U.S. House of Representatives on June 6 condemning a street brawl between protesters and Turkish security personnel outside the Turkish ambassador's residence in Washington is "against the spirit of alliance" between Turkey and the U.S. 

Senior U.S. lawmakers want the House of Representatives to formally condemn Turkish security forces' violent response to a street protest in Washington during a recent visit by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, a congressional aide said on May 24.

The Turkish government has summoned the US ambassador to protest what it said were "aggressive and unprofessional actions" by police and diplomatic security service towards President Recep Erdogan's bodyguards during a street brawl in Washington, DC.

The Foreign Ministry on May 22 summoned Unites States Ambassador to Turkey John Bass over a brawl in front of the Turkish ambassador's residence in Washington during President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's visit to Washington on May 16. 

A verbal and written protest has been given to the ambassador, according to a written statement issued by the Foreign Ministry. 

Turkey's Interior Ministry has ended the activities of four foreign nongovernmental organizations operating in Turkey on the grounds of "national security," including the United States-based Mercy Corps, a Turkish official told the Hürriyet Daily News on condition of anonymity.