The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has issued a directive expanding the methods allowed for federal executions to include firing squads, gas asphyxiation, and electrocution, in addition to lethal injection. The move, outlined in a 48-page memo released Friday, aims to "strengthen" the death penalty by deterring severe crimes and delivering justice for victims, according to the department.
The directive comes after President Donald Trump ordered the DOJ to resume capital punishment on his first day in office. Former President Joe Biden had imposed a moratorium on federal executions and commuted the sentences of 37 of the 40 federal death row inmates before leaving office.
The memo defends lethal injection as the "gold standard" and notes that expanding methods ensures executions can proceed even if specific drugs become unavailable. The DOJ cited challenges in procuring pentobarbital, the drug used since 1993, which has faced criticism as cruel and has become harder to obtain.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche criticized the prior administration for failing to pursue the death penalty against dangerous criminals, including terrorists and child murderers. Democratic Senator Dick Durbin condemned the change as "cruel, immoral, and discriminatory," calling it a stain on history.
Several states have already adopted alternative execution methods. Five states use firing squads, and Alabama became the first to execute a prisoner with nitrogen gas in 2024, a method now authorized in four other states.