Reversing the Obama-era policy, US President Donald Trump on Tuesday night signed an executive order keeping the controversial detention prison Guantanamo Bay open.
The order would allow the State Department officials to retain and move the detainees to the facility if "warranted", reportedABC News.
During his address, trump said that he had directed the defence secretary, James Mattis "to examine our military detention policy and to keep open the detention facilities at Guantánamo Bay". The Guardianreportedthat the US President also indicated at moving captured "terrorists" to the camp "in many cases."
The Trump order said: “The detention operations at the US Naval Station Guantánamo Bay are legal, safe, humane, and conducted consistent with United States and international law."
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The signed order reverses the progress made during the era of Barack Obama, who signed an order calling to close the detention centre on his second day in office in 2009. But the US Naval station remains open, home to 41 detainees. Obama made closing the Guantanamo Bay prison one his first and highest priorities as president, but he was not able to achieve its closure.
In 2017, he made another appeal to close controversial military prison, accusing a partisan Congress for placing politics above taxpayer money, national safety and common sense.
On Tuesday night Trump delivered his first State of Union Address. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, Secretary of the Treasury Steve Mnuchin, Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke and Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis were also present at the event.
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A total of 15 special guests, ranging from workers, business owners, to parents of gang-violence victims, military members and public servants, have been invited for the Trump's first SOTU address. The speech is delivered in the presence of members of both the House and the Senate, in the chamber of the House of Representatives. The speaker of the House introduces the President.
