President-elect Donald Trump has announced his intention to direct the Department of Justice to vigorously pursue the death penalty following President Joe Biden's decision to commute the death sentences of 37 federal inmates to life in prison.
Trump stated that upon his inauguration, he will prioritize the use of the death penalty to protect American families from violent criminals. He emphasized his commitment to law and order, echoing his tough-on-crime stance during the 2024 campaign.
After Biden's commutation, only three federal inmates remain on death row, including individuals involved in mass shootings and terrorist attacks such as the Pittsburgh synagogue shooting, the Charleston church massacre, and the Boston Marathon bombing.
While Biden's clemency decisions cannot be reversed, Trump's Justice Department could resume seeking the death penalty in future cases. Throughout his campaign, Trump advocated for the death penalty as part of his strategy to combat violent crime, drug trafficking, and human exploitation.
Trump's push for the death penalty was a central theme in his campaign, with promises to seek capital punishment for drug dealers and individuals involved in trafficking children across the border. He also pledged to pursue the death penalty for migrants who commit violent crimes against US citizens or law enforcement officers.
The reactions to Biden's commutations were mixed, with relief expressed by some families of the inmates and disappointment and anger from families of the victims. The widow of a police officer killed by a commuted inmate expressed her family's disappointment in Biden's decision.
Under Trump's administration, federal executions saw a significant increase, with 10 executions carried out in 2020 alone. Prior to Trump's term, federal executions were rare, but his administration's policy led to a surge in capital punishment at the federal level.
While Biden lacks the authority to intervene in state-level death penalty cases, over 2,000 individuals remain on death row in various states across the country, according to the Death Penalty Information Center.
