Updated 7:24 p.m. ET on 6/7
(CNN) - American officials who toured Guantanamo Bay Friday said their visit underscored their belief the detention facility must close.
“We continue to believe that it is in our national interest to end detention at Guantanamo, with a safe and orderly transition of the detainees to other locations," read a joint from White House Chief of Staff Denis McDonough, Sen. John McCain, R-Arizona, and Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-California.
“We intend to work, with a plan by Congress and the Administration together, to take the steps necessary to make that happen," the three officials continued.
Earlier in the day, National Security Council Spokeswoman Caitlin Hayden wrote the trip was a follow up to President Barack Obama's May 23 speech">speech last month renewing his bid to close the facility.
The officials were in Cuba to "review the situation there and discuss the steps that we can take with the Congress to meet the President's goal of closing the facility," Hayden said.
McCain in a Twitter message said he was joining them to "review the situation."
Read more:
Daily life at Guantanamo: Hunger strikes, sprays of filth
Please leave McCain there
I guess McCain must not plan on running for re-election again. He's crossed the lline and is working with Democrats.
I Thought we were broke.
Whatever. I just hope they're paying their own airfare.
John and Dianne? As leaders of your respective parties, may I humbly suggest that you seriously work with the President to find a way to resolve the legal crisis that the continuing incarceration of these individuals poses? I don't see the value of YET ANOTHER "fact-finding mission" to Gitmo. We pay Congresscritters to make the tough calls ... So make them already, and quit wasting my money with useless trips.
Its stupid to go there. That prison is full of trash. I say starv them to death,just quit feeding them because they are costing tax payers way to much money. Not that the far left liberals care about taxes since most dont pay any taxes at all.
Do you think McCain actually understands that he did NOT win the presidential election in 2008?
@rick7809
Do you think McCain actually understands that he did NOT win the presidential election in 2008?
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What does that have to do with this story? He is a sitting US Senator, just like Feinstein is.
shoot them all with a firing squad and close the place. problem solved.
McCain is going to look into closing the facility down! What is happening to this man – is he actually getting some sense in his old age? Maybe that trip to Syria has opened his eyes in that we are creating more terrorists by our actions.
The media always saying what the president is saying an during, but when the president speak it always something different, whos lying or whos telling the truth. The meida or the president what da heck.
And they have both overstayed their usefullness to our nation from a political standpoint. Couple of has been democrats...
Feinstein? geez I can only imagine the liberal trash that will spew from her mouth when she returns..What a waste of time and money.