Trump orders reopening Alcatraz prison for violent offenders

US President Donald Trump announced on Sunday that he has instructed federal agencies to explore reopening and expanding the historic Alcatraz prison to detain what he described as “America’s most ruthless and violent offenders.”

In a post on Truth Social, Trump said he had directed the Bureau of Prisons, in coordination with the Department of Justice, FBI, and Homeland Security, to reconstruct the shuttered facility off the coast of San Francisco. “We will no longer be held hostage to criminals, thugs, and Judges that are afraid to do their job,” he wrote. “The reopening of ALCATRAZ will serve as a symbol of Law, Order, and JUSTICE.”

Speaking to reporters at the White House later that day, Trump appeared to walk back the certainty of the plan, saying it was “just an idea” inspired by frustration with what he described as “radicalized judges” delaying deportations for migrants. “They want to have trials for every single person that’s in our country illegally,” he said. “That would mean millions of trials.”

Trump described Alcatraz as both a historic site and a potential modern solution for what he sees as a growing security threat. “It’s got quite a history, frankly, so I think we’re going to do that,” he said.

Alcatraz Island served as a maximum-security federal prison from 1934 until 1963, when it was closed due to high maintenance costs. According to the Bureau of Prisons, it was nearly three times more expensive to operate than other federal facilities, and millions of dollars in restoration work were needed even back then.

Today, the island is a major tourist destination managed by the National Park Service and welcomes over a million visitors annually. It was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1986, a status that could be revoked under certain conditions — though doing so would require approval from the Secretary of the Interior.

The Department of the Interior, the National Park Service, and the Bureau of Prisons have not yet responded to requests for comment.

Trump’s idea was immediately met with skepticism. Representative Nancy Pelosi, whose district includes Alcatraz, dismissed the plan as unserious. “Alcatraz closed as a federal penitentiary more than sixty years ago,” she wrote on X. “It is now a very popular national park and major tourist attraction. The President’s proposal is not a serious one.”

Alcatraz closed as a federal penitentiary more than sixty years ago. It is now a very popular national park and major tourist attraction. The President’s proposal is not a serious one. https://t.co/ALKXZLWlzO

— Nancy Pelosi (@SpeakerPelosi) May 5, 2025

Talk of reopening Alcatraz is not new. Earlier this year, shortly after Trump returned to the presidency and issued an executive order directing the transfer of some migrants to Guantanamo Bay, his son Donald Trump Jr. hinted at the idea on social media. “Now this is a great idea. Maybe we should also reopen Alcatraz?!?!” he posted.

Now this is a great idea. Maybe we should also reopen Alcatraz?!?! https://t.co/70dUlZVHvA

— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) January 30, 2025