Donald Trump’s plan to end the Justice Department’s current pause on federal executions outlines his approach to handling severe crimes. If reelected, Trump intends to prioritize the death penalty for individuals convicted of serious offenses such as killing police officers, sexually abusing children, and major drug trafficking.

Trump’s stance reflects his broader commitment to a stringent law-and-order agenda. He believes that the death penalty serves as a powerful deterrent and a fitting punishment for the most egregious crimes. This proposal would reverse the existing moratorium on federal executions and could significantly impact the federal justice system.

During his first term, Donald Trump reinstated the federal death penalty in 2019, leading to 13 executions before President Joe Biden’s Attorney General Merrick Garland implemented a moratorium in 2021.

In a recent visit to the U.S.-Mexico border, Trump delivered a strong message to drug dealers involved in fentanyl-related overdoses, suggesting that they should be subject to the death penalty for their crimes.

“The average drug dealer is responsible for the deaths of around 500 people over their lifetime. I would support using the death penalty for these individuals,” Trump stated, emphasizing that harsh measures are necessary to combat the drug epidemic.

Currently, out of the 50 states, 27 maintain the death penalty, while seven have put a hold on executions.

Kamala Harris, in her 2004 inauguration speech as San Francisco’s district attorney, pledged never to seek the death penalty. However, her stance evolved by 2010, when she ran for California Attorney General and later stated she would enforce the death penalty according to the law.