Donald Trump recently shared on Truth Social his reasoning behind the desire to reopen the well-known prison facility.
Repeatedly emphasizing his stance on crime, Trump outlined a new component of his plan on May 4. This involves the reopening of Alcatraz, a notorious prison located in San Francisco.
In his Truth Social post, Trump wrote: “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 other than Misery and Suffering.”
He further detailed the type of inmates he envisioned being held at Alcatraz should the facility become operational once more.
Continuing, Trump stated: “When we were a more serious Nation, in times past, we did not hesitate to lock up the most dangerous criminals, and keep them far away from anyone they could harm. That’s the way it’s supposed to be.
“No longer will we tolerate these Serial Offenders who spread filth, bloodshed, and mayhem on our streets.”
Although the timeline and prioritization of reopening Alcatraz remain uncertain, Trump elaborated on the initial steps being pursued to advance this proposal.
He mentioned: “That is why, today, I am directing the Bureau of Prisons, together 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.
“We will no longer be held hostage to criminals, thugs, and Judges that are afraid to do their job and allow us to remove criminals, who came into our Country illegally. The reopening of ALCATRAZ will serve as a symbol of Law, Order, and JUSTICE. We will, MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”
Originally constructed as a naval defense fort, Alcatraz was transformed into a military prison in the early 20th Century.
Subsequently, the Department of Justice assumed control in the 1930s, and the facility began accepting inmates from the federal prison system.
The ultimate closure of the prison was attributed to high operational costs, as noted by the Federal Bureau of Prisons. The expenses associated with running Alcatraz were nearly three times higher than other federal facilities, largely due to its island location.
The financial implications of making Alcatraz functional again as a prison are significant, and the timeline for such an undertaking remains unclear.