Guantanamo Bay 25 years after 9/11: ‘We’re running a geriatric prison at this point’

Published September 12, 2026 11:00am ET



The most infamous detention facility on the globe is still open, now 25 years after the event that precipitated its necessity, with no end in sight until the remaining prisoners die, or by an act of a future Congress and president.

Approximately 780 men have been or are detained at Guantanamo Bay during the nearly 25 years it has been open, and only 15 remain, almost a quarter century after its creation. All 15 of them have been detained at Guantanamo Bay since at least 2008, three of whom arrived in 2002, the year it opened.

Already a print subscriber? Click here to login/register your account

Trusted reporting.Unlimited access.

Subscribe for full access to Washington Examiner coverage, expert political analysis, and subscriber-only journalism.

Get Unlimited Access

Already a member? Log in

Cancel anytime.