The U.S. and Turkey are locked in another diplomatic squabble. This time, both countries have frozen visa processing between each other's embassies.
The trouble stems from Fethullah Gülen, a Turkish cleric currently living in the U.S. Turkey has accused Gülen of orchestrating the failed coup that aimed to overthrow President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan last year.
Turkey recently arrested a Turkish employee of the U.S. consulate and accused him of having ties to Gülen. The U.S. embassy suspended all new nonimmigrant visas in retaliation, and Turkey's embassy responded in kind.
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Erdoğan has struck up a warm personal relationship with President Donald Trump, but diplomatic relations between the countries are growing worse. Erdoğan's previous visits have sparked violent clashes between his supporters and protesters.
A recent referendum consolidating Erdoğan's power was widely condemned in the West as being anti-democratic. And the U.S. has backed a Kurdish separatist group in Syria that Turkey considers a terrorist threat.
Turkey has been increasing pressure on the U.S. to extradite Gülen. It's suspected of holding U.S. citizens prisoner for leverage.
