"At the Turkish Ambassador’s request, Ambassador John Bolton met with Ambassador Serdar Kilic of Turkey today in the White House," Sanders said on Monday. "They discussed Turkey’s continued detention of Pastor Andrew Brunson and the state of the US-Turkey relationship."
Most recently, Trump authorized the doubling of steel and aluminum tariffs on Turkey resulting in the Turkish lira reaching a record low. The Trump administration also froze the assets of two Turkish ministers who allegedly contributed to human rights abuses in the country.
US-Turkish bilateral relations have deteriorated over US pastor Andrew Brunson detention in Turkey in 2016.
Brunson, who was arrested on suspicion of ties to the movement accused of orchestrating the 2016 failed military coup in Turkey, was released from prison in late July and placed under house arrest.
