Former President Donald Trump has pledged to direct the U.S. Department of Justice to vigorously pursue the death penalty for individuals convicted of violent crimes, a day after President Joe Biden commuted the death sentences of 37 federal inmates.
In a statement released on Truth Social, Trump, who is set to be inaugurated as president next month, outlined his intention to reinstate and intensify the use of the death penalty, focusing on those convicted of heinous crimes, including violent rapists, murderers, and terrorists. “As soon as I am inaugurated, I will direct the Justice Department to vigorously pursue the death penalty in order to protect American families, children, and society from these criminals,” Trump said. “We will restore a Nation of Law and Order!”
The announcement from Trump comes on the heels of a significant move by President Biden, who commuted the death sentences of 37 individuals on federal death row. However, Biden left the sentences of three high-profile convicts intact: Robert Bowers, responsible for the mass shooting at Pittsburgh’s Tree of Life synagogue; Dylann Roof, convicted of murdering nine people in a Charleston church; and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, one of the perpetrators of the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing.
Biden’s decision to reduce the sentences of the 37 inmates has sparked a wave of debate across the nation. Supporters of the death penalty, including Trump, have criticized the commutations, viewing them as a miscarriage of justice for the victims’ families and a potential erosion of the federal justice system. Trump has repeatedly stated that his administration will not hesitate to carry out executions for those who commit violent crimes, a stance that resonates with many conservative voters.
On the other side of the spectrum, opponents of the death penalty have praised Biden’s actions as a step toward a more just and humane legal system. These critics argue that the death penalty is an irreversible punishment that has disproportionately affected marginalized communities and people of color, and they maintain that Biden’s decision to commute the sentences of 37 individuals is in line with his anti-death penalty stance.
Donnie Oliverio, whose partner Bryan Hurst was killed by a prisoner whose death sentence was commuted, expressed his personal view on the matter. “The execution of my partner’s killer would not bring me peace,” Oliverio stated, highlighting the emotional toll that the death penalty often takes on families of victims.
Similarly, Marissa Gibson, widow of officer Bryan Hurst, criticized Biden’s commutation decision, calling it a “complete dismissal and undermining of the federal justice system.” She added that the move would only serve to perpetuate feelings of injustice and devastation among the victims’ families.
The death penalty debate has always been a deeply divisive issue, and in the wake of Biden’s decision, those affected by the crimes in question have voiced their discontent. Rev. Sharon Risher, whose family members were killed by Dylann Roof during the 2015 shooting at the Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina, spoke out in support of finishing what she sees as a necessary action. “You can’t rank victims,” Risher said, urging Biden to extend his commutations to the remaining death row inmates, including those convicted for military-related crimes.
Risher’s plea echoes a larger call for the complete abolition of the death penalty, with activists pushing for a full reevaluation of its fairness and morality, especially when its application disproportionately affects minority groups.
President Biden, who has long been an opponent of the death penalty, has defended his position on the matter, emphasizing that he could not, in good conscience, allow his administration to restart federal executions, which were actively carried out during Trump’s first term in office. A total of 13 federal executions occurred under Trump, including the controversial execution of Lisa Montgomery, the first woman to be executed by the federal government in over 60 years.
Trump, on the other hand, has made it clear that under his leadership, the U.S. will continue to pursue the death penalty for individuals convicted of particularly egregious crimes. His statement following Biden’s commutation announcement was swift and critical. “Joe Biden just commuted the death sentences of 37 of the worst killers in our country,” Trump said. “When you hear the acts of each, you won’t believe that he did this. It makes no sense. Relatives and friends are further devastated.”
As both leaders prepare for their respective terms, the ongoing national conversation about the death penalty remains as charged as ever, with starkly contrasting views on justice, retribution, and the value of human life.
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