The Use of the Death Penalty in US Politics
As the US presidential election of 2024 draws closer, a new report from Rolling Stone has raised questions about the potential use of the death penalty in US politics. The report alleges that Donald Trump, the most recent former president of the United States, has been polling his advisers on whether he should bring back firing squads, hangings, and even the guillotine should he win in 2024.
The use of the death penalty in US politics is a controversial issue, and the report has generated a wide range of reactions. Some have criticized Trump’s suggestion, pointing to his long history of advocating for the death penalty as well as his call to execute the “Central Park Five,” five young Black and Latino men who were later exonerated.
Others have pointed to Trump’s support for the death penalty as a sign of his commitment to law and order. Trump has previously called for the execution of “everyone who sells drugs [or] gets caught selling drugs” and signed an executive order in his last weeks in office that expanded the federal government’s ability to conduct hangings and firing squads as methods of execution.
The death penalty is an issue that has long been a part of US politics, and the use of it has been highly contested. It is likely that the use of the death penalty will continue to be a contentious issue leading up to the 2024 election. Whether or not Trump’s latest suggestion will gain any political traction remains to be seen.
