Trump warns he might not obey provisions on Guantanamo and pot in new spending law

MAY 05, 2017 7:04 PM

BY CAROL ROSENBERG AND FRANCO ORDOÑEZ
McClatchy Washington Bureau

President Donald Trump on Friday warned Congress that he might release detainees now held at the Guantánamo Bay detention center for suspected terrorists, despite legislation that prohibits transfers of prisoners.

He also warned that he would not feel bound by a restriction in a new spending law that prohibits the expenditure of funds to enforce federal marijuana laws in states where pot is legal for medical purposes.

In his statement, Trump noted that the spending bill Congress passed this week contained restrictions on transfers of Guantánamo detainees to both the United States and other countries, but provided no exceptions, even in cases of a court ordering a detainee’s release.

“I will treat these, and similar provisions, consistently with my constitutional authority as Commander in Chief,” Trump said. He made a similar observation about the limit on enforcing federal marijuana laws. “I will treat this provision consistently with my constitutional responsibility to take care that the laws be faithfully executed,” he said.

Marijuana is illegal under federal law, but 28 states permit its use as medicine.

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