WASHINGTON (AP) 鈥� President Donald Trump signed a sweeping execution order Monday on the death penalty that directs the attorney general to 鈥渢ake all necessary and lawful action鈥� to ensure that states have enough lethal injection drugs to carry out executions.
coming just hours after he returned to the White House, compels the Justice Department to not only seek the death penalty in appropriate federal cases but also to help preserve capital punishment in states that have struggled to maintain adequate supplies of lethal injection drugs.
Trump had been expected to restart federal executions, which have been on hold since a moratorium was imposed by former Attorney General Merrick Garland in 2021. Only three defendants remain on federal death row after Democratic President Joe Biden recently
Trump directed the attorney general to pursue federal jurisdiction and seek the death penalty "regardless of other factors鈥� when the case involves the killing of a law enforcement officer or capital crimes 鈥渃ommitted by an alien illegally present in this country." He's also instructing the attorney general to seek to overrule Supreme Court precedents that 鈥渓imit the authority of limit the authority of State and Federal governments to impose capital punishment.鈥�
鈥淭he Government鈥檚 most solemn responsibility is to protect its citizens from abhorrent acts, and my Administration will not tolerate efforts to stymie and eviscerate the laws that authorize capital punishment against those who commit horrible acts of violence against American citizens,鈥� Trump's order said.
Trump's administration carried out more than under any president in modern history, and the president has spoken frequently of expanding executions. In a speech , Trump called for those 鈥渃aught selling drugs to receive the death penalty for their heinous acts.鈥� He later promised to execute drug and human smugglers and even praised China鈥檚 harsher treatment of drug peddlers.
Trump's order comes days after Garland withdrew the Justice Department's protocol for that allowed for single-drug lethal injections with , after a raised concerns about the potential for 鈥渦nnecessary pain and suffering.鈥� The protocol could be imposed by Trump's new acting Attorney General James McHenry III, or his his pick to lead the Justice Department, Pam Bondi, once she's confirmed by the Senate.
The pentobarbital protocol was adopted by Bill Barr, attorney general during Trump鈥檚 first term, to replace a three-drug mix used in the 2000s, the last time federal executions were carried out before Trump was in office.
Biden's decision last month left just three inmates on federal death row. They are Dylann Roof, who carried out the in Charleston, South Carolina; 2013 Boston Marathon bomber ; and Robert Bowers, who fatally shot 11 congregants at Pittsburgh鈥檚 , the deadliest antisemitic attack in U.S history.
Alanna Durkin Richer, The Associated Press
