ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Thursday that the United States is "sacrificing ties" by supporting its ambassador to Turkey in a diplomatic spat that resulted in the two countries suspending the issuing of travel visas to the other's citizens.

"It is the ambassador who created this," Erdogan said in reference to U.S. Ambassador John Bass' decision to halt most visa services for Turks in response to the arrest of a consular employee in Istanbul. "It is unacceptable for America to sacrifice a strategic partner like Turkey for an impertinent ambassador."

The Tur...