Former U.S. President Donald Trump, in an executive order issued on Monday, reinstated the death penalty for severe crimes.
The order, titled “Restoring the Death Penalty and Protecting Public Safety,” emphasizes the need to enforce capital punishment as a deterrent and response to heinous acts of violence.
The move reverses several policies enacted by his predecessor, Joe Biden, as part of Trump’s broader efforts to overhaul past reforms.
“It is the policy of the United States to ensure that laws authorizing capital punishment are respected and implemented,” Trump stated in the order. He criticized what he called the “subversion of law” by some politicians and judges who block capital sentences.
Key directives in the order include:
Mandating the Attorney General to pursue the death penalty for crimes of sufficient severity.
Requiring the pursuit of federal jurisdiction in capital cases involving:
The murder of law enforcement officers.
Capital crimes committed by individuals unlawfully present in the U.S.
The executive order further asserts that capital punishment remains crucial for justice and public safety. It states, “Capital punishment is an essential tool for deterring and punishing the most heinous crimes. Our Founders recognized it as the ultimate deterrent and necessary justice for acts of great evil.”
Trump’s decision is expected to reignite national debates over the role of the death penalty in the justice system.