President Obama has trumped Attorney General Eric Holder and taken control of the decision on where to try 9/11 terrorists, according to the Washington Post. The move signals “a recognition that the administration had mishandled the process and triggered a political backlash.”

The president seems to have realized that Holder, who was initially given wide latitude on the trials, has been politically tone-deaf in his handling of the case so far. Moreover, the attorney general, previously adamant about the need for a civilian trial, is now suggesting that military commissions are back on the table:

Administration officials acknowledge that Holder and Obama advisers were unable to build political support for the trial. And Holder, in an interview Thursday, left open the possibility that Mohammed’s trial could be switched to a military commission, although he said that is not his personal and legal preference.
“At the end of the day, wherever this case is tried, in whatever forum, what we have to ensure is that it’s done as transparently as possible and with adherence to all the rules,” Holder said. “If we do that, I’m not sure the location or even the forum is as important as what the world sees in that proceeding.”

Obama’s entry into the decision-making process was spurred, as well, by bipartisan support in Congress for efforts to cut off funding for the trials unless a safe venue could be found. Sources in the White House said they are working on a potential deal with Congress that would include fixes on both the 9/11 trial and broader questions of detainee policy. They said the decision will be made soon.