Firing Squads and Lethal Injections: Justice Department Revamps Execution Methods

Fri Apr 24 2026 22:09:13 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

In a controversial move, the Justice Department has reintroduced firing squads as a permissible method of execution, in tandem with the reinstatement of pentobarbital lethal injections, amid a federal push for expedited capital punishment.

The Justice Department is set to allow firing squads as a method of execution, alongside reauthorizing single-drug lethal injections with pentobarbital. This shift aims to accelerate federal executions following a moratorium under the Biden administration. The announcement comes as the Trump administration seeks to reinforce capital punishment protocols, emphasizing the need to protect the American public from dangerous criminals. Only three individuals currently remain on federal death row.

WASHINGTON (RTW) — The Justice Department has announced that firing squads will be added as a permitted method of execution as efforts to increase and expedite capital punishment cases proceed under the Trump administration. Officials confirmed this development on Friday.

In addition, the department will reauthorize the use of single-drug lethal injections using pentobarbital, which were previously used to execute 13 individuals during Trump's first term, marking the highest execution rates for any president in modern history. The Biden administration had previously withdrawn pentobarbital from federal protocols due to concerns regarding potential pain and suffering.

This decision aligns with a broader initiative to reinstate federal executions following a pause implemented during President Biden’s tenure. Presently, only three individuals remain on federal death row after 37 sentences were converted to life imprisonment. Despite this, the Trump administration has authorized pursuing death sentences for 44 defendants.

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche criticized the previous administration, stating, “The prior administration failed in its duty to protect the American people by refusing to pursue the ultimate punishment against the most dangerous criminals, including terrorists and child murderers.”

The firing squad has not been a part of federal execution protocols in the past, with five states—Idaho, Mississippi, Oklahoma, South Carolina, and Utah—now allowing this method. Blanche’s statement reflects a significant shift in policy aimed at reinforcing laws surrounding federal executions.

The reintroduction of pentobarbital follows a rule published during Trump’s first term, transitioning from a three-drug mix previously used in executions to a single-drug method intended to reduce complications and suffering. The Biden administration's decision to withdraw this protocol stemmed from uncertainties regarding its humane application.

The latest reports also indicate that the Trump administration challenges the Biden administration’s stance, asserting that evidence supports the efficacy of pentobarbital in minimizing pain during executions.

As it stands, death row inmates include notorious figures such as Dylann Roof, who was convicted for the racially motivated shooting at Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina; Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, involved in the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing; and Robert Bowers, responsible for the deadly attack at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh, the deadliest antisemitic incident in U.S. history.