Erdoğan slams US for preferring terrorists as partner

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Sunday criticized the U.S., saying Turkey will say “goodbye” to those, who prefer terrorists as their strategic partner.

Erdoğan was speaking at ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party’s meeting in northeastern Turkish province of Trabzon.

“We will say goodbye to those, who sacrifice its strategic partnership and alliance with a country of 81 million people on the altar of its relations with terror organizations," he said.

Turkey and the U.S. are currently experiencing rocky relations following Washington’s imposition of sanctions on Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu and Justice Minister Abdulhamit Gul for not releasing American Pastor Andrew Brunson, who faces terrorism charges in Turkey.

U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday ramped up his attack on Turkey by doubling U.S. tariffs on Turkish aluminum and steel imports to 20 percent and 50 percent, respectively.

Erdoğan said Turkey would turn towards new markets, new partners and alternative financial tools.

“If you pressure us through the dollar, we will look for other ways to carry out our works,” he said.

“We will give our response to the person -- who declares war against the whole world including our country -- by turning towards new markets, new partners and new alliances," Erdoğan added.

Terming the recent U.S. tariffs on Turkey as an “economic war,” the Turkish president said: “We’ve seen your game and we will challenge it.”

The aim of the recent U.S. pressure is “to seize Turkey in every field from finance to politics,” the president noted.

“We will not surrender,” Erdoğan asserted.

“We will continue producing. We will continue increasing our exports,” he said.