The United States Department of Justice will expand federal execution methods to include firing squads as President Donald Trump’s administration moves to accelerate enforcement of the death penalty.
A DOJ report said alternative methods will be allowed alongside lethal injection, which remains the primary protocol. Options such as firing squads, electrocution, and gas asphyxiation are being added to ensure executions proceed even when drug supplies run short.
“Among the actions taken are readopting the lethal injection protocol utilized during the first Trump Administration, expanding the protocol to include additional manners of execution such as the firing squad, and streamlining internal processes to expedite death penalty cases,” Todd Blanche, who is leading the Justice Department’s policy shift, said.
The policy also lifts the federal moratorium imposed under the previous administration. Prosecutors have been directed to prioritize death penalty cases involving severe crimes, and the DOJ has already authorized new cases where capital punishment will be pursued.
Legal timelines remain a central hurdle. Death penalty cases often drag on for years due to appeals and constitutional challenges. The department is now reviewing measures to cut delays and move cases forward faster.
Several U.S. states already permit alternative execution methods, including firing squads. Officials said expanding options ensures executions can continue even when lethal injection drugs are unavailable.
