Trump Promises to Revive Death Penalty Pursuit After Biden’s Commutations
Washington, D.C. – President-elect Donald Trump announced on Tuesday that he plans to instruct the Department of Justice to “vigorously pursue the death penalty” after President Joe Biden commuted the sentences of 37 federal inmates to life in prison on Monday. Trump, who is known for his strong stance on law and order, reaffirmed his commitment to the death penalty through a message on Truth Social.
Trump’s Plans on Law Enforcement
In his post, Trump wrote, “As soon as I am inaugurated, I will direct the Justice Department to vigorously pursue the death penalty to protect American families and children from violent rapists, murderers, and monsters. We will be a Nation of Law and Order again!” This statement reflects his long-standing advocacy for the death penalty, which has been a significant part of his tough-on-crime campaign approach ahead of the 2024 elections.
Biden’s Recent Clemency Decisions
Following Biden’s commutation of most federal death row inmates, only three individuals will remain facing the death penalty in federal prison by the time Trump takes office. These individuals include:
- Robert Bowers, who was convicted of killing 11 people at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh in 2018.
- Dylann Roof, a white nationalist who murdered nine people at a historically Black church in Charleston, South Carolina, in 2015.
- Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, responsible for the Boston Marathon bombing in 2013.
The Legal Landscape Ahead
Biden’s recent clemency decisions are irreversible once Trump takes office, but the incoming president’s Justice Department could still seek the death penalty in future cases. Throughout his campaign, Trump emphasized the need for stricter measures against violent crime, including drug and human trafficking.
Trump’s Stance on Crime and Punishment
During his campaign launch for the 2024 elections, Trump committed to seeking the death penalty for drug dealers and previously stated he would ask Congress to create a law mandating the death penalty for anyone caught trafficking children across the U.S. border. In the final weeks of the campaign, he also expressed intentions to push for the death penalty for migrants who kill U.S. citizens or law enforcement officials.
Public Reaction to Clemency Decisions
The reactions to Biden’s commutations were mixed. While some families of those whose sentences were commuted expressed a sense of relief, others were outraged. For example, Marissa Gibson, the widow of a police officer killed in 2005, voiced her disappointment over Biden’s decision to commute the sentence of Daryl Lawrence, the individual convicted of her husband’s murder. Gibson stated, “He knew the potential consequences and chose to murder regardless.”
Historical Context of Federal Executions
Before Trump’s first term, federal executions were quite rare. There were only three federal executions since 1988. However, in 2019, Trump’s then-Attorney General announced that the federal government would resume executions. In 2020, during his last year in office, the government executed ten individuals, marking the highest number of federal executions since 1896 and surpassing the total executions carried out by all 50 states combined that year.
Death Row Inmates in State Courts
Currently, there are over 2,000 individuals in the United States sentenced to death in state courts, which Biden cannot directly affect. This situation continues to spark discussions about the future of the death penalty in America as Trump prepares to take office in January.
