Mr Trump did not cite where he obtained the statistic in his latest controversial tweet.

He called the release "another terrible decision".

On Monday, US air strikes against an al-Qaida-linked group in Yemen killed a former detainee who was released from the prison in 2009, despite earlier recommendations that he should remain in custody because he was considered a "high threat" to America and its allies.

At its peak, the Guantanamo Bay prison in Cuba held nearly 680 detainees.

This was down to 242 when Barack Obama took office in 2009, and was subsequently reduced to just a few dozen.

Mr Obama said the prison was a waste of money and a recruiting tool for extremists.

Mr Trump also claimed that Russia "ran over" former president Barack Obama for years.

He tweeted: "For eight years Russia 'ran over' President Obama, got stronger and stronger, picked-off Crimea and added missiles. Weak!"

Mr Trump added the Twitter handle of Fox & Friends at the end - a show he has frequently cited as one of his favourites.

The US leader's latest criticism against his predecessor comes as senior members of his administration face questions about their contact with the Russian government.

This weekend, Mr Trump used Twitter to accuse Mr Obama of ordering wiretaps on his phones, but offered no proof to back the claim.