Aug 26, 2025 - Politics & Policy

Trump seeks death penalty for D.C. murders

April Rubin

A man in a navy suit and red tie speaks into a microphone in front of a group of uniformed military and law enforcement personnel standing beside a military vehicle with an American flag. — President Trump visits the U.S. Park Police Anacostia Operations Facility on Aug. 21 in Washington, DC. Photo: Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

The Trump administration will seek the death penalty as punishment for homicides in Washington, D.C., President Trump said on Tuesday during the seventh cabinet meeting of the term.

The big picture: The president has asserted direct and sweeping control over Washington, D.C., in response to what he called a "crime epidemic."

Reality check: Violent crime in D.C. has declined in recent years, counter to Trump's claims.

What he's saying: "If somebody kills somebody in the capital, Washington, D.C., we're going to be seeking the death penalty," Trump said. "And that's a very strong preventative."

"I don't know if we're ready for it in this country, but we have no choice," he added.

Catch up quick: Trump this month seized control of D.C.'s police force and deployed the National Guard into the city.

In December, Trump said his Justice Department would "vigorously pursue the death penalty."
He set execution records during his first administration.

State of play: Capital punishment remains legal in 27 states, according to Cornell's Legal Information Institute.

The federal government and U.S. military also retain the death penalty.

Zoom in: Washington, D.C.'s death penalty was nullified by the Supreme Court in 1972 and repealed by the D.C. Council in 1981.

D.C. residents voted 2-1 against the death penalty in a 1992 referendum ordered by Congress.

Go deeper: Trump's D.C. utopia

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Trump seeks death penalty for D.C. murders

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