President-elect Donald Trump declared on Tuesday that he would “forcefully pursue” the death penalty for those convicted of violent crimes as soon as he assumes office in January. He wrote on his Truth Social platform, “As soon as I am inaugurated, I will direct the Justice Department to vigorously pursue the death penalty to protect American families and children from violent rapists, murderers, and monsters. We will be a Nation of Law and Order again!”
Trump’s statement came in response to President Joe Biden’s decision to grant clemency on Monday, commuting the sentences of 37 out of 40 federal inmates on death row.
The post shared by Trump included a screenshot of a New York Post article highlighting Biden’s controversial decision, with the headline reading that the president had commuted the “death sentences of child killers and mass murderers 2 days before Christmas.”
In a statement, President Biden said, “Make no mistake: I condemn these murderers, grieve for the victims of their despicable acts, and ache for all the families who have suffered unimaginable and irreparable loss.” He added, “But guided by my conscience and my experience as a public defender, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Vice President, and now President, I am more convinced than ever that we must stop the use of the death penalty at the federal level. In good conscience, I cannot stand back and let a new administration resume executions that I halted.”
According to the Post, Biden commuted the sentences of the 37 individuals to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole. The president did not explain why he felt the original death sentences were unjust.
{Matzav.com}