Trump Directs DOJ to Prioritize Death Penalty, Authorizes Use of Firing Squads

The Trump administration directed the Justice Department to prioritize seeking the death penalty in all eligible cases and formally authorized the use of firing squads as an execution method. The directive marks a significant escalation of the administration's tough-on-crime posture, reversing years of declining federal executions. Critics — including civil liberties groups and death penalty opponents — condemned the move as cruel and politically motivated, while the administration framed it as delivering justice for victims of the most heinous crimes.