US President Barack Obama reiterated his promise to close the prison at the US naval base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, Thursday in an appearance on a late-night comedy programme, dpa reported.
In the 2008 campaign, Obama vowed to close the base within one year of taking office, and he signed orders to have it carried out, but his efforts ran into legal problems and strong opposition in Congress.
"I still want to close Guantanamo," he said on the Daily Show with Jon Stewart. "One of the things we have to do is put a legal architecture in place, and we need congressional help to do that."
Obama's predecessor George W Bush set up the prison after the September 11, 2001, attacks. Approximately 170 detainees are in the prison, including many who have been there for years without being charged. Most are from Afghanistan, Pakistan and the Middle East.
Cases brought against the defendants are heard before a military commissions court.
Obama has appeared six times on the show. During Thursday's taping, he spoke on topics ranging from the choice between him and Republican Mitt Romney to the political gridlock in Washington to the attack on the US consulate in Benghazi, Libya.
The third and final presidential debate on Monday will cover foreign policy topics.