"There's no reason to build this in Guantánamo unless you want to do things you don't think you could get away with on the U.S. mainland. It's easy to put tents in Florida. But they're putting them in Cuba. Ask yourself why."
That first article quotes Obama trying to close it. From the sounds of it congress attached keeping the base open as a rider to another defense funding bill. That’s a common tactic I think
Then make them be the ones to block it from being shut down. Not try to do it right before leaving office.
And maybe not sign the bill to upgrade it…
https://www.courthousenews.com/obama-signs-bill-expanding-guantanamo/
Plus not like he even closed it with his closing EO
https://www.politico.com/story/2016/02/obama-gitmo-plan-reaction-219696
That first article quotes Obama trying to close it. From the sounds of it congress attached keeping the base open as a rider to another defense funding bill. That’s a common tactic I think