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3d ago

Trump Pushes Alcatraz Reopening as Federal Agencies Begin Feasibility Steps

President Trump’s directive to rebuild Alcatraz as a high-security prison faces bipartisan skepticism and logistical concerns as federal agencies explore implementation options.

Trump’s surprise call to reopen Alcatraz over the weekend came just hours after a local PBS affiliate aired “Escape From Alcatraz,” the 1979 Clint Eastwood film dramatizing a real-life prison break from the island. 
Photo composite illustration of Alcatraz island, Al Capone, prison cells and watchtowers
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Alcatraz Island tours focus on the main cell house, which is where inmates lived out their sentences during the site’s operation as a federal prison from 1934 to 1963. 

Overview

  • President Trump has ordered federal agencies to develop plans to rebuild and reopen Alcatraz as a maximum-security prison for violent offenders, framing it as a symbol of law and order.
  • The Bureau of Prisons confirmed it is actively pursuing steps to implement the directive but has yet to release feasibility studies, funding details, or a construction timeline.
  • Experts and lawmakers from both parties have criticized the proposal as impractical, citing the high cost, structural decay, and the island’s current role as a major tourist destination generating $60 million annually.
  • Speculation has emerged that Trump’s announcement was influenced by a PBS broadcast of the 1979 film 'Escape From Alcatraz,' which aired shortly before his post on Truth Social.
  • Attorney General Pam Bondi expressed conditional support for the plan, while others, including former FBI agent Jonathan Gilliam, suggested alternative sites like San Clemente Island as more feasible options.