U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a law enforcement event in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, D.C., May 19, 2025. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque

In 1962, Congress abolished the mandatory death penalty for Washington, D.C. One decade later, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down existing death penalty laws nationwide, forcing states to rewrite their laws. In 1976, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down mandatory death penalty laws. Five years later, Washington, D.C. formally rescinded its death penalty law. In 1992, D.C. voters rejected Congress’ attempt to bring back the death penalty.

Now, President Donald Trump says he is not only bringing back the death penalty for Washington, D.C. murder cases, but also making all murder cases capital punishment cases — directing prosecutors to seek the death penalty in each one.

“Anybody murders something in the capital, capital punishment. Capital, capital punishment,” Trump declared on Tuesday (video below) during his Cabinet meeting. “If somebody kills somebody in the capital, Washington, D.C., we’re going to be seeking the death penalty.”

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“And that’s a very strong preventative, and everybody that’s heard it agrees with it,” Trump said.

Multiple studies show that capital punishment is not an effective deterrent to murder.

“I don’t know if we’re ready for it in this country, but when you have it, we have no choice,” Trump declared. “So in D.C. and Washington, states are going to have to make their own decision.”

Unlike in other jurisdictions, where state and local prosecutors prosecute violations of the law, violations of local Washington, D.C. ordinances are prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia. D.C. does not currently have a death penalty ordinance.

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Trump’s announcement comes just one day after he declared that anyone who burns an American flag will be prosecuted and the government will seek a prison sentence, despite the U.S. Supreme Court having ruled that burning the flag is a protected First Amendment right.

Last week, the Pentagon authorized National Guard troops patrolling the streets of D.C. to carry firearms.

Watch the video below or at this link.

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