The White House conceded Tuesday that it wouldn’t close the Guantanamo Bay detention facility by the time President Obama leaves office later this week, but it hasn’t stopped releasing detainees in the run-up to Inauguration Day.
The administration announced it had transferred 10 detainees to Oman, reducing the number still in the facility to 45. Press Secretary Josh Earnest did not rule out the possiblity of more releases in the coming days.
“The possibility of additional transfers—[it] remains a possibility,” he told reporters during the daily press briefing.
More from the Associated Press:
Administration officials had long insisted that the president was continuing to work toward closing the facility even when it became obvious that it would no longer be possible for practical reasons before President-elect Donald Trump takes office Friday. White House spokesman Josh Earnest told reporters that the administration determined it wouldn’t happen when they realized they did not have enough time left to comply with the 30-day deadline for notifying Congress in advance of a detainee transfer. “At this time, I don’t anticipate that we will succeed in that goal of closing the prison,” Earnest said. “But it’s not for a lack of trying, I assure you.” … Trump said during the campaign that he not only wants to keep Guantanamo open but “load it up with some bad dudes.” Earlier this month, he said there should be no further releases of men he called “extremely dangerous people.”
More here.
