Justice Department Authorizes Firing Squads for Federal Executions

WASHINGTON — The Justice Department will permit firing squads as a method of execution for federal death-row inmates, marking a significant expansion of capital punishment protocols under the Trump administration, NPR reported Thursday.

The policy shift comes as the administration moves to ramp up and expedite federal capital punishment cases, according to the report. The decision adds firing squads to the list of approved execution methods available to federal authorities, alongside lethal injection, which has been the primary method for federal executions since 1993.

Policy Expansion Under Trump Administration

The Justice Department's adoption of firing squads represents a departure from decades of federal practice that relied almost exclusively on lethal injection. The move signals the administration's intent to accelerate the pace of federal executions, which had been largely dormant for nearly two decades before resuming in 2020 during Trump's first term.

Federal executions were halted between 2003 and 2020, a period during which states faced mounting challenges securing lethal injection drugs due to pharmaceutical company restrictions and international pressure. The Trump administration carried out 13 federal executions between July 2020 and January 2021, more than the previous 10 administrations combined.

Legal and Practical Implications

The authorization of firing squads may address ongoing difficulties federal authorities face in obtaining lethal injection drugs. Several states, including Oklahoma, Mississippi, South Carolina, and Utah, have already adopted or considered alternative execution methods—including firing squads and nitrogen hypoxia—as pharmaceutical companies have refused to supply drugs for executions.

Utah remains the only state to have used firing squads in recent decades, most recently in 2010. The method involves a team of shooters aiming at the condemned person's heart from behind a barrier. Proponents argue it is more reliable and humane than lethal injection when drugs are unavailable or untested.

Federal Death Row and Pending Cases

As of early 2025, approximately 40 inmates remain on federal death row at the U.S. Penitentiary in Terre Haute, Indiana. The Biden administration had imposed an informal moratorium on federal executions, but the Trump Justice Department has signaled its intention to resume and expand capital punishment.

The policy change could affect pending cases and appeals, particularly for inmates whose execution dates were previously delayed due to drug availability issues. Legal challenges to the new protocol are expected from defense attorneys and civil rights organizations.

Broader Context on Capital Punishment

The move comes amid a broader national debate over the death penalty. While 27 states retain capital punishment statutes, executions have declined nationally over the past two decades. Six states abolished the death penalty between 2007 and 2021, and several others have imposed governor-led moratoriums.

Public support for capital punishment has also shifted. Gallup polling shows approval has declined from a peak of 80% in the mid-1990s to approximately 55% in recent years, with growing concerns about wrongful convictions, racial disparities, and execution methods.

What we know: The Justice Department has authorized firing squads as a federal execution method as part of an effort to expedite capital punishment cases. The policy expands available options beyond lethal injection. What's unclear: The timeline for implementing the new protocol, which specific cases may be affected, and what legal challenges will emerge remain to be seen.