The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump has announced plans to authorize alternative methods for carrying out federal executions, including firing squads, electric shock, and gas-induced suffocation. The announcement was made on Friday, outlining the new procedures for those convicted of the most serious federal crimes.
According to the administration, the move comes in response to difficulties in obtaining the drugs required for lethal injections. A report from the Department of Justice recommended these methods as part of efforts to fulfill Trump’s campaign pledge to reinstate federal executions during his second term. The Justice Department is leading the initiative.
Trump had previously reinstated federal executions in 2021, just days before the end of his first term, ending a 20-year hiatus. The new plan continues that policy direction, expanding the range of approved execution methods at the federal level.