In a major shift in federal capital punishment policy, the U.S. Department of Justice announced Friday that it is reinstating and expanding execution methods, including the use of lethal injection and firing squads, as part of a broader push to reinforce the federal death penalty system.
According to a report by CBS News journalist Jacob Rosen, the Justice Department outlined a series of changes aimed at accelerating death penalty cases and broadening the range of approved execution protocols. Among those measures is the reintroduction of the lethal injection procedures used during the first administration of Donald Trump, along with the addition of alternative methods such as firing squads and the continued use of pentobarbital.
In its official statement, the department said the updated policies are designed to “strengthen” enforcement of capital punishment at the federal level. Officials argued that the changes are intended to serve as a deterrent against particularly heinous crimes, while also delivering justice to victims and offering closure to their families.
The move follows an executive order signed by President Trump on the opening day of his second term, directing federal authorities to pursue the death penalty more aggressively in cases deemed severe enough to warrant it. The order specifically calls for capital punishment in cases involving the killing of law enforcement officers and certain crimes committed by undocumented immigrants.
This latest development builds on actions taken during Trump’s first presidency, when federal executions resumed after nearly two decades without them. That policy shift was later halted in 2021, when President Joe Biden imposed a moratorium on federal executions, effectively pausing their use.
The Justice Department’s renewed approach signals a significant reversal of that pause and underscores a broader policy direction that emphasizes stricter enforcement and expanded use of capital punishment within the federal justice system.
— Adapted from reporting by Jacob Rosen, CBS News
