Donald Trump has vowed to direct the Justice Department to aggressively pursue the death penalty for those convicted of violent crimes once he is inaugurated next month. In a post on Truth Social, the president-elect stated that his administration would focus on protecting American families and children from violent criminals, including rapists, murderers, and others he described as “monsters.” Trump also emphasized that under his leadership, the U.S. would become “a Nation of Law and Order again.”
This announcement came one day after President Joe Biden commuted the death sentences of most prisoners on the federal government’s death row, a decision that sparked strong reactions. Biden’s actions reduced the sentences of 37 federal death row inmates, but three individuals—Robert Bowers, Dylann Roof, and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev—were excluded from commutation and will remain on death row. These three individuals were convicted for their roles in high-profile mass killings, including the Tree of Life synagogue shooting, the Mother Emanuel AME church shooting, and the Boston Marathon bombing.
Donald Trump
While Biden’s decision was hailed by opponents of the death penalty, including some families of victims, it also received sharp criticism. Donnie Oliverio, partner of a police officer killed by a prisoner whose death sentence was commuted, argued that the execution of the killer would not have brought him peace. Marissa Gibson, the widow of Officer Bryan Hurst, expressed frustration with Biden’s decision, calling it a dismissal of the federal justice system. This reflects a broader divide on the issue, with some viewing Biden’s move as unjust and others seeing it as a necessary step towards justice reform.
In the case of Dylann Roof, who killed nine people at the Mother Emanuel AME church in Charleston, South Carolina, Rev. Sharon Risher, a family member of the victims, criticized Biden’s decision as unfair. Risher, who is an advocate for ending the death penalty, urged Biden to “finish the job” by commuting the sentences of the remaining death row inmates, both in the federal and military systems. Her remarks reflect the emotional and moral debate surrounding the use of the death penalty in the U.S.
Biden, who opposes the death penalty, explained that he could not allow his administration to resume federal executions, a promise made by Trump during his campaign. Under Trump’s first term, 13 federal prisoners were executed, leading to criticism from those opposed to capital punishment. In response to Biden’s commutation decision, Trump strongly criticized the move, calling it a betrayal and claiming it further devastated the families of victims. This back-and-forth illustrates the ongoing political and moral debate surrounding capital punishment in America.
