Donald Trump took to Truth Social to announce why he wanted to reopen the famous prison.
Donald Trump has repeatedly emphasized his tough-on-crime stance, and on May 4, he announced a bold new step in that direction: the reopening of the infamous Alcatraz prison.
Posting on Truth Social, Trump declared, “REBUILD, AND OPEN ALCATRAZ! For too long, America has been plagued by vicious, violent, and repeat Criminal Offenders—the dregs of society—who will never contribute anything but Misery and Suffering.”
He went on to outline the types of inmates he believes should be housed there if the prison were brought back into operation.
Trump continued his statement by calling for a return to stricter criminal justice practices: “When we were a more serious Nation, we didn’t hesitate to lock up the most dangerous criminals and keep them far from the public. That’s how it’s supposed to be.”
He added, “We will no longer tolerate serial offenders who bring filth, bloodshed, and chaos to our streets.”
While it’s unclear how long reopening Alcatraz would take—or how high a priority it is for Trump—he outlined initial steps to move the plan forward.
“That is why, today, I am directing the Bureau of Prisons, along with the Department of Justice, FBI, and Homeland Security, to reopen a substantially enlarged and rebuilt ALCATRAZ to house America’s most ruthless and violent offenders,” he said.
Trump concluded with a familiar rallying cry: “We will no longer be held hostage by criminals, thugs, and judges afraid to act. The reopening of ALCATRAZ will stand as a symbol of Law, Order, and JUSTICE. We will, MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”
Alcatraz originally served as a naval defense fort before being converted into a military prison in the early 20th century. In the 1930s, the Department of Justice took control, and the facility began housing inmates from the federal prison system.
However, Alcatraz was eventually shut down due to high operating costs. According to the Federal Bureau of Prisons, it was nearly three times more expensive to run than other federal facilities, largely because of its remote island location.
Reactivating Alcatraz as a functioning prison would be a costly and complex project, with no clear timeline for how soon it could happen.
