NextFin news, On Thursday, September 25, 2025, U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order mandating that federal prosecutors in Washington D.C. pursue the death penalty in every eligible murder case. The order was issued at the White House and directs Attorney General Pam Bondi and the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia to fully enforce federal capital punishment laws in the nation's capital.
Trump emphasized the seriousness of the directive, stating, "Those who kill people in Washington face the death penalty," and described the move as consistent with Washington's status as the capital city. He claimed that since the deployment of National Guard troops to the city, there have been no murders in the past four weeks, a statement that has yet to be independently verified.
Attorney General Pam Bondi confirmed that the administration intends to legalize and enforce the death penalty nationwide. She also announced plans to transfer former death row inmates, whose sentences were commuted to life imprisonment by the previous administration, to supermax facilities where they will be treated as if on death row for life.
The executive order builds on a previous directive signed by Trump in January 2025, which restored the federal death penalty and required states to maintain an adequate supply of lethal injection drugs. The administration's move comes amid concerns over rising crime rates in Washington D.C., where the 2024 homicide rate was reported at 27.3 per 100,000 residents, ranking fourth highest in the United States and significantly higher than cities like New York, Atlanta, and Chicago.
Trump has repeatedly criticized local policies in Washington D.C. as lenient and has vowed to "clean up, renovate, and rebuild" the capital to address what he describes as a "nightmare of murder and crime." The administration has also launched a special crime task force, deployed the National Guard, and eliminated cashless bail in the district as part of a broader strategy to improve public safety.
Capital punishment has been abolished in Washington D.C. since 1981, with the last execution in the district occurring in 1957. The new order represents a significant policy shift, reinstating the death penalty in the capital and signaling a federal push to expand its use nationwide.
The directive requires prosecutors to assert federal jurisdiction broadly and seek capital sentences where evidence supports such charges. Capital punishment cases require a separate jury finding, and it has been decades since prosecutors in Washington D.C. have attempted to secure a death sentence.
President Trump described the death penalty enforcement as a strong deterrent and stated, "Okay everybody understands death penalty in Washington. You kill somebody, or if you kill a police officer, law enforcement officer—death penalty." He also noted that female staff at the White House have expressed gratitude for the increased safety measures in the city.
This development is part of the Trump administration's ongoing efforts to reshape law enforcement and criminal justice policies in Washington D.C. and across the United States.
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