President Donald Trump signed an executive order Thursday aiming to bring the death penalty back to Washington, D.C. The memorandum directs Pam Bondi , the U.S. Attorney General, and Jeanine Pirro , the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, to fully implement capital punishment in the nation’s capital.
While signing the order, Trump reiterated that after deploying the National Guard to the city, crime rates have reportedly decreased. He claimed that no murders had occurred in the past four weeks, though this has not been independently verified.
“This is a very safe city now,” Trump stated.
“This went from the most unsafe city in the country to the safest city in the country,” he added, making claims that remain unconfirmed.
Trump also mentioned that female staff at the White House have expressed gratitude for the perceived increase in safety.
“Capital punishment for the capital city,” he quipped.
The attorney general indicated that the administration’s push for the death penalty is not limited to D.C. but could extend nationwide.
Last month, Trump discussed his plans to reinstate capital punishment in Washington, D.C., during a Cabinet meeting addressing crime in the capital.
“If somebody kills somebody in the capital, Washington, D.C., we’re going to be seeking the death penalty,” he said. “And that’s a very strong preventative. And everybody that’s heard it agrees with it.”
Capital punishment has been abolished in D.C. since 1981, when the D.C. Council voted to repeal it. The last execution in the district occurred in 1957, according to the Death Penalty Information Center.
In addition, Trump signed an executive order stating that a proposed agreement to place TikTok under U.S. ownership meets key security requirements. He noted that China’s Xi has approved the proposed deal.
