Trump to Obama: No more Gitmo transfers

President-elect Donald Trump on Tuesday called on the Obama administration to halt all prisoner transfers from the Guantánamo Bay military prison.

“There should be no further releases from Gitmo. These are extremely dangerous people and should not be allowed back onto the battlefield,” Trump tweeted.

The message is a warning to President Obama, who plans to move more detainees cleared for release before he leaves office on Jan. 20.

{mosads}Unlike Obama, who swore to close the controversial facility, Trump has pledged to fill it up again.

During a campaign event last February, Trump said he would keep the prison open and “load it up with some bad dudes.”

Obama will fall short of his goal of shuttering the prison. But the administration has reportedly informed Congress of its intent to ship as many as 19 prisoners overseas.

That would leave the prison with roughly 40 inmates, down from 242 when Obama took office.

White House press secretary Josh Earnest on Tuesday would not confirm that number, but said more transfers are coming. 

When asked if Trump’s statement would factor into the administration’s decision-making process, he responded “no, it will not.”

— This post was updated at 2:19 p.m.