Trump Plans to Reinstate Death Penalty for Violent Crimes
US President-elect Donald Trump announced on December 25 that he intends to direct the Justice Department to pursue the death penalty more aggressively for individuals convicted of violent crimes, including rapists and murderers. This announcement follows President Joe Biden's recent decision to commute the sentences of 37 federal death row inmates to life imprisonment without parole, a move that Trump’s transition team criticized as supportive of dangerous criminals.
In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump emphasized his commitment to protecting American families and children from what he described as 'violent rapists, murderers, and monsters.' He stated, 'Once inaugurated, I will direct the Department of Justice to aggressively pursue the death penalty.' This marks a significant shift in policy, as Trump had previously reinstated federal death sentences during his first term from 2017 to 2021, after a nearly two-decade hiatus.
In stark contrast, Biden has consistently opposed the death penalty, halting federal executions upon taking office in January 2021. While Trump cannot overturn Biden's commutations, he can advocate for the death penalty in future cases, signaling a potential return to more stringent capital punishment policies in the United States.
