US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the 15 detainees still held at Guantánamo Bay "should have been executed," comments made after his visit to the base in Tampa. Pentagon figures from early 2025 show two of the remaining detainees have been convicted, with trials ongoing for several others. The facility — which once held nearly 800 prisoners — remains controversial due to allegations of torture, indefinite detention and diplomatic hurdles that have stalled closure efforts.
Hegseth: Remaining Guantánamo Detainees "Should Have Been Executed" — 2 Convicted, Trials Continue
FILE PHOTO - US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth attends the meeting between US President Trump and German Chancellor Merz at the White House. (is associated with: «Guantánamo detainees should have been executed, Hegseth says») Kay Nietfeld/dpa
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Wednesday that the 15 detainees still held at the Guantánamo Bay detention facility "should have been executed" for crimes against US citizens, comments that revive debate over the facility's future and the role of military tribunals.
"These Gitmo detainees should have been executed, in my mind, personally, a long time ago, for the crimes of what they committed against the American people," Hegseth told reporters in Tampa, Florida, after visiting the US naval base in Cuba.
Pentagon figures released in early 2025 report that two of the 15 detainees have been convicted by military tribunals, while proceedings against seven others remain under way. The fate of the remaining detainees has been complicated by legal, diplomatic and evidentiary issues.
Background
The Guantánamo Bay detention facility was established by the United States in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 attacks and at its peak held nearly 800 prisoners. Many detainees were suspected Islamist militants who were held for years, in some cases without traditional criminal trials. Allegations of torture and ill treatment at the site prompted widespread international criticism.
Legal, Diplomatic and Human Rights Issues
Successive US administrations have attempted to close Guantánamo but faced persistent obstacles, including legal challenges, questions about fair trials and difficulties finding countries willing to accept released detainees. Human rights organizations continue to denounce both the ongoing detention of remaining prisoners and the use of military tribunals for certain cases.
The Guantánamo Bay naval base is located on Cuba's south-eastern coast. The territory has been under US control since 1903 under a controversial lease arrangement; since the 1959 Cuban Revolution the Cuban government has considered that indefinite arrangement invalid.
Hegseth's remarks underscore the lasting political and emotional weight the facility and related cases carry, particularly for victims of the 9/11 attacks and their families. They also highlight tensions between calls for retributive measures and longstanding concerns about due process, international law and US policy.
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