The U.S. Department of Justice announced a sweeping overhaul of federal death penalty procedures Friday, officially clearing the path for the government to resume executions and expand the methods used to carry them out.
The move follows a day-one executive order from President Trump aimed at prioritizing capital punishment for what the administration describes as the “most barbaric crimes.”
Under the new directives, the Department has officially readopted the lethal injection protocol featuring pentobarbital, a method utilized during the first Trump administration.
In a significant shift in federal policy, officials also directed the Federal Bureau of Prisons to expand execution options to include the firing squad.
To accommodate these changes, the government is currently scouting locations to either expand the existing federal death row or construct an entirely new execution facility.
READ: Florida Supreme Court Clears Path For Execution Of Man In 1976 Killing Of Step-Niece
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche characterized the move as a necessary return to law and order, sharply criticizing the previous administration’s stance.
“The prior administration failed in its duty to protect the American people by refusing to pursue and carry out the ultimate punishment against the most dangerous criminals, including terrorists, child murderers, and cop killers,” Blanche stated. “Under President Trump’s leadership, the Department of Justice is once again enforcing the law and standing with victims.”
The Department’s latest report, titled “Restoring and Strengthening the Federal Death Penalty,” claims that the use of pentobarbital is consistent with the Eighth Amendment, effectively rescinding the moratorium imposed under former Attorney General Merrick Garland.
During the Biden administration, 37 of 40 death-row inmates were recommended for clemency, a move the current DOJ argues ignored the wishes of victims’ families and career prosecutors.
Current data shows the Justice Department has already authorized seeking death sentences against 44 defendants. Blanche has personally signed off on nine of those cases, including charges against three MS-13 members accused of murdering a federal witness.
Looking ahead, the DOJ is preparing a legislative proposal for Congress to speed up the execution process. Upcoming administrative changes include a proposed rule to block inmates from filing clemency petitions until their initial appeals and collateral attacks are fully resolved in court.
Furthermore, the Department is considering a rule that would allow states to streamline federal reviews of their own capital cases, potentially cutting years off the timeline between a conviction and an execution.
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