White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest castigated Congress on Wednesday for preventing the closure of the Guantanamo Bay military prison in Cuba.
Earnest was asked at the White House daily press briefing if President Obama's failure to mention closing the detention facility during his national security speech the prior day was a final "coming to terms" that it remain open after his term.
"We have been deeply dismayed at the obstacles that Congress has erected to prevent progress on this significant national security priority," Earnest said.
President Obama has struggled to close the prison since coming to office, despite making it one of his chief campaign promises.January 2009. Executive Order 13492, which Obama signed on Jan. 22, 2009 calling for the closure of Guantanamo, has been fought by members of Congress, many of whom have called it a threat to American national security.