The US Justice Department (DOJ) has announced plans to reintroduce the firing squad as a method of execution, as part of efforts to speed up the federal death penalty system.
In an official statement, the department said it would expand its execution protocols to include additional methods such as the firing squad, while also restoring policies used during the first administration of Donald Trump. The move marks a significant shift from the approach taken under former US President Joe Biden, whose administration had placed limits on federal executions.
Officials said they are also reinstating lethal injection protocols and simplifying internal procedures to reduce delays in carrying out death sentences.
The department stated that these changes are intended to ensure executions proceed once inmates have exhausted their appeals, describing the move as necessary to deliver justice and improve public safety.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche criticised the previous administration’s handling of capital punishment, saying it had failed to adequately protect the public.
“The prior administration failed in its duty to protect the American people by refusing to pursue and carry out the ultimate punishment against the most dangerous criminals, including terrorists, child murderers, and cop killers,” he said. He added that under Trump’s leadership, the Justice Department is enforcing the law and supporting victims.
The department also plans to shorten the time between conviction and execution by reviewing legal procedures and reducing delays in the appeals process. Additional steps under consideration include changes to how death sentences are pursued and limiting when clemency petitions can be filed.
The policy shift follows an executive order issued by Trump upon returning to office, directing the DOJ to prioritise death penalty cases and strengthen enforcement. Officials say dozens of cases have since been reviewed, with new death sentences authorised in several instances.
Under the previous administration, federal executions had been paused amid concerns over lethal injection methods and broader opposition to capital punishment. That moratorium has now been formally reversed.
Firing squads remain rare in the United States, though they are still permitted in some states under specific conditions. Their use has been limited in recent decades, with only a small number of executions carried out this way since the 1970s.
