The Justice Department has announced its plan to bring back federal executions, aligning with a directive from former President Donald Trump for 2025. This move includes reinstating traditional methods of execution, even incorporating elements like blindfolds and cigarettes.
Following a pause on the death penalty during the Biden administration, the Trump-era Justice Department has reintroduced lethal injection protocols and gun methods that were previously adopted in Trump’s first term.
Trump has specifically urged for the death penalty in extreme cases, like the brutal murders of Irina Zalutka and Charlie Kirk.
In a memo released on Friday, the Justice Department stated that these new steps aim to “expedite death penalty cases” by smoothing the path for executing inmates after their appeals reach a conclusion.
“The last administration fell short in its responsibility to protect the American public by not enforcing ultimate punishment against the most dangerous individuals—terrorists, child murderers, and police killers,” said Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. “Under President Trump’s guidance, the Department of Justice is reinstating the rule of law and supporting victims’ rights.”
The memo further criticized the Biden administration for not acting on death penalty rulings, even when its legal team had recommended them. Before leaving office, President Biden commuted the sentences of most federal death row inmates, with the exception of Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, who was responsible for the 2013 Boston Marathon bombings, and others involved in significant mass killings.
The Justice Department is now actively pursuing the death penalty against numerous defendants, including three members of the MS-13 gang accused of murdering federal witnesses, two of whom are in the U.S. illegally. Additionally, the current administration is contemplating the construction of new execution facilities.
Since regaining office, Trump has also called for the death penalty in some state-level murder cases, such as the killings of Irina Zalutka in North Carolina and Charlie Kirk in Utah, both set for dates in 2025.
A few states have started adopting firing squads for executions. Idaho has already taken steps to be the first state to utilize firing squads as the primary execution method, while South Carolina offers it as an option for death row inmates.
