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4h ago

Trump Orders Federal Prosecutors to Seek Death Penalty in D.C.

The directive pushes federal prosecutors to pursue capital charges in eligible Washington cases despite the district’s long-standing ban on executions.

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WASHINGTON, DC - AUGUST 25: U.S. President Donald Trump signs executive orders in the Oval Office at the White House on August 25, 2025 in Washington, DC. Furthering his federal takeover of the capital city’s law enforcement, Trump signed orders ending cashless bail in the District of Columbia, mandating prosecution for people who desecrate the American flag, including by burning it, and other orders. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
DC Flag. (7News/File photo)
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Overview

  • A presidential memorandum instructs Attorney General Pam Bondi and D.C. U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro to seek capital punishment in all appropriate cases after full review and to maximize federal jurisdiction in the district.
  • The Justice Department will pursue death-penalty prosecutions across the country, according to Bondi’s remarks at the signing.
  • Bondi said inmates whose federal death sentences were commuted under Joe Biden are being moved to Supermax facilities to be treated like they are on death row for life.
  • D.C. repealed capital punishment in 1981, so most murders proceed in local court without the death penalty, though federal statutes allow capital charges in certain prosecutions, creating legal and practical hurdles.
  • The White House claims recent actions reduced D.C. crime, while local group Free DC denounced the move as a power grab intended to instill fear.