Guantanamo at Twenty-Three

January 11, 2025, marked the 23rd anniversary of the opening of the military prison at Guantánamo Bay, which was established in the wake of the 9/11 attacks. When Biden took office, the prison held 40 people. As the days count down to the inauguration of President Elect Trump, the Biden administration has worked to reduce the population of the prison. On January 6th, the U.S. transferred 11 Yemeni detainees to Oman, dropping the prison’s population to 15 men. Among these men are three who the government has approved for transfer, three who have not been approved for transfer but also have not been charged with crimes, seven men currently facing charges, and two who were convicted. As Trump prepares to take office, the fate of the prison and the men who remain there is unclear. Trump previously halted efforts to close the prison, transferring only one prisoner, and even threatened to expand Guantanamo. What will happen to the prison and its detainees as the Biden administration’s first term comes to an end? Will the prison ever close?

Join New America's Future Security Program as they welcome Karen Greenberg, Thomas B. Wilner, and Andy Worthington for a discussion about what is next for the prison. Karen Greenberg is Director of the Center on National Security at Fordham Law and a fellow with New America’s Future Security program and a research fellow with ASU’s Future Security Initiative. She is the author and editor of many books, including Subtle Tools: The Dismantling of American Democracy from the War on Terror to Donald Trump and The Least Worst Place: Guantanamo’s First One Hundred Days. Thomas B. Wilner is the co-founder of Close Guantanamo, Of Counsel at Shearman & Sterling LLP, and was counsel of record to the Guantanamo detainees in two Supreme Court cases confirming their right to seek review of their detention in U.S. courts. Andy Worthington is the co-founder of Close Guantanamo and author of The Guantanamo Files.

Join the conversation online using #GTMOat23 and following @NewAmericaISP. 

Participants:

Karen Greenberg
Editor, Our Nation at Risk
Director, Center on National Security at Fordham Law
Fellow, New America Future Security program
Research Fellow, Future Security Initiative, Arizona State University

Thomas B. Wilner
Co-Founder, Close Guantanamo
Of Counsel, Shearman & Sterling, LLP

Andy Worthington, @GuantanamoAndy
Co-Founder, Close Guantanamo
Author, The Guantanamo Files: The Stories of the 774 Detainees in America's Illegal Prison

Moderator:

Peter Bergen
Vice President, New America
Co-Director, Future Security
Professor of Practice, Arizona State University