President-elect Trump vowed on Tuesday to direct the Department of Justice (DOJ) to pursue the death penalty after President Biden granted clemency to nearly all federal death row inmates.
“As soon as I take office, I will direct the Department of Justice to vigorously advance the death penalty to protect America's families and children from violent rapists, murderers, and monsters,” President Trump said on Truth Social. Ta. “We will be a nation of law and order again!”
President Trump's remarks came just one day after Biden publicly announced that he had commuted the sentences of 37 of the 40 federal death row inmates, reclassifying their sentences from death penalty to life imprisonment.
The move has been controversial, but the “difficult cases” that remain are those of two notorious church and synagogue shooters and one of the brothers of the Boston Marathon bomber. There were only 3 cases.
Some pardoned prisoners have been on death row for more than 10 years for crimes such as murdering other prisoners or guards.
Biden said in a statement that part of the reason for commuting his sentence is because he expects the incoming Trump administration to lift the moratorium on federal executions put in place under President Biden (for example, in response to terrorism and hate). (excluding incited murder cases).
“Make no mistake about it, I condemn these murderers, I mourn the victims of their despicable acts, and my heart goes out to all the families who have suffered unimaginable and irreparable loss,” Biden said. ” he said.
Trump's team on Monday criticized the president's decision, calling it “abhorrent” and a “slap in the face.”
“They are among the world's worst murderers, and this abhorrent decision by Joe Biden is a slap in the face to the victims, their families, and loved ones,” said President Trump's communications director Stephen Chan. ” he said.
“President Trump supports the rule of law, which he was elected with a mandate from the American people and will return to when he returns to the White House,” Chan added.
During the 2024 presidential campaign, President Trump said he was in favor of seeking the death penalty for petty crimes such as drug trafficking.
The president has faced criticism over the decision, but it has received praise from some civil rights groups, the American Civil Liberties Union and the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights.
