President-elect Donald Trump announced on Tuesday that, once he takes office, he will instruct the Department of Justice to “vigorously pursue the death penalty” following President Joe Biden’s decision on Monday to commute the death sentences of 37 federal prisoners to life in prison.
Trump criticized Biden’s actions, calling them illogical, and reiterated his long-standing support for the death penalty as part of his tough-on-crime stance during the 2024 campaign.
Trump stated that he would direct the Justice Department to pursue the death penalty for violent criminals, including rapists and murderers, to protect American families.
As of January, only three people will remain on federal death row: Robert Bowers, Dylann Roof, and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, all convicted of mass shootings or terrorism-related offenses. Though Biden’s clemency cannot be undone, Trump’s Justice Department could resume seeking the death penalty for future cases.
Throughout his campaign, Trump has consistently advocated for stricter measures, including the death penalty for drug dealers and individuals involved in human trafficking or killing U.S. citizens or law enforcement officers. His advocacy on this issue has sparked mixed reactions, with some families of victims supporting the decisions, while others, like the widow of an Ohio police officer killed in 2005, expressed disappointment over Biden’s clemency.
Under Trump, federal executions increased significantly, with 10 individuals executed in 2020 alone, the most in a single year since 1896. However, Biden has no authority over state-level death sentences, where over 2,000 individuals are currently on death row.
