Trump Supports Death Penalty in D.C. Amid Crime Crackdown

On Tuesday, former President Trump stated that he would advocate for the death penalty in response to a recent murder in Washington, D.C., particularly highlighting his administration’s focus on crime reduction in the capital.

“If someone commits murder in the capital, we are contemplating the death penalty. It’s quite a strong deterrent,” he remarked.

He added, “Everyone I’ve talked to seems to agree. I’m not sure if the nation is ready for this, but… we have to take action. States, including D.C., must make their own choices.” During his comments, he also referenced Iris Tao, a journalist connected to The Epoch Times.

Currently, the death penalty is not practiced in the District of Columbia. The Supreme Court abolished it in 1972, and efforts to reinstate it have repeatedly failed since then.

Trump first sent federal law enforcement to D.C. on August 7 and shortly after deployed the National Guard to help patrol the area.

During this initiative, there were no murders reported for 12 days until a man was found murdered in southeastern D.C. on Tuesday. According to the metropolitan police, the individual was discovered “unconscious and suffering from gunshot wounds.”

Earlier, the White House released preliminary police data indicating no murders had occurred since August 14.

As of Tuesday, the White House reported over 1,094 arrests since August 7, including the apprehension of eight gang members from groups like MS-13 and Tren de Aragua, the rescue of two missing children, the seizure of 115 firearms, and the dismantling of 49 homeless encampments.

It’s worth noting that D.C. has not had a death penalty since the city council eliminated it in 1981.

In his 2024 campaign, Trump expressed his desire to reinstate the death penalty, suggesting it should apply even to lesser crimes such as drug trafficking.