Tue Dec 24 18:13:25 UTC 2024: ## Trump Vows to Expand Federal Executions in Second Term

**Washington D.C.** – President-elect Donald Trump has pledged a significant expansion of the federal death penalty, vowing to pursue capital punishment for “rapists, murderers, and monsters” upon taking office. This announcement follows President Biden’s decision to commute the sentences of nearly all federal death row inmates to life imprisonment without parole.

Trump’s statement marks a sharp contrast to Biden’s actions and represents a continuation of his hardline stance on crime and punishment. During his first term, Trump oversaw the execution of 13 individuals, the highest number by any modern president, after a nearly two-decade hiatus in federal executions.

While public support for the death penalty remains present, it has steadily declined in recent years, dropping from 80% in 1994 to 53% in 2024, according to Gallup polls. Conversely, opposition has risen from 16% to 43% over the same period.

Supporters cite closure for victims’ families and deterrence as justifications for capital punishment, although evidence for the latter remains scant. Opponents, however, point to the risk of executing innocent individuals, the high costs associated with lengthy appeals processes, and the disproportionate application of the death penalty against minorities.

Trump’s campaign rhetoric focused heavily on immigration, portraying undocumented immigrants as a threat and promising to seek the death penalty for those convicted of murder or rape against U.S. citizens. This stance, despite data showing lower violent crime rates among immigrants compared to native-born Americans, has raised concerns among immigrant rights groups.

Notably, Biden spared only three death row inmates: Dylann Roof (Charleston church shooting), Dzhokhar Tsarnaev (Boston Marathon bombing), and Robert Bowers (Tree of Life Synagogue shooting), all convicted of hate crimes. Trump’s renewed commitment to capital punishment promises a significant shift in federal criminal justice policy.

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