The US Department of Justice (DOJ) has announced a significant expansion of federal execution protocols, formally reintroducing firing squads, electrocution and gas asphyxiation as it moves to resume executions after years of legal and logistical delays. The move reverses a moratorium imposed under the Biden administration and fulfils a commitment made by President Donald Trump to resume capital punishment in his second term.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche directed the Bureau of Prisons to modify its execution protocol 'to include additional, constitutional manners of execution that are currently provided for by the law of certain states,' according to Reuters. The policy change is driven in part by ongoing difficulties in sourcing lethal injection drugs, with pharmaceutical companies having increasingly restricted access, citing ethical and reputational concerns.
What Is a Firing Squad Execution?
A firing squad execution is a method of capital punishment in which a condemned prisoner is executed by multiple shooters firing simultaneously. Typically, the individual is restrained — either seated or strapped to a chair — with a target placed over the heart to guide the marksmen.
The BBC reports the process is designed to ensure death occurs rapidly, though it remains one of the most debated execution methods due to its graphic nature. In some protocols, one firearm may contain a blank round, offering shooters a degree of psychological ambiguity about who fired the fatal shot.
While rarely used in modern times, firing squads remain legally permitted under specific circumstances in several US states, including Idaho, Mississippi, Oklahoma, South Carolina and Utah. These states typically allow the method as a fallback when lethal injection is unavailable or deemed unconstitutional.
Why the Trump Administration Is Bringing It Back
The DOJ released a 52-page report titled 'Restoring and Strengthening the Federal Death Penalty', in which Blanche outlined the rationale for expanding execution methods, CBS News reported. Legal challenges have frequently complicated execution schedules, with courts scrutinising lethal injection protocols on grounds of potential pain and suffering.
In its official statement, the DOJ said it is acting to 'restore its solemn duty to seek, obtain, and implement lawful capital sentences', adding that the updated protocols will 'clear the way' for executions once appeals are exhausted. The department confirmed it will continue using pentobarbital-based lethal injections while expanding options to include firing squads, electrocution and gas asphyxiation.
The DOJ said it has already authorised seeking the death penalty against 44 defendants and rescinded the Biden-era moratorium on federal executions. During Trump's first term, the federal government executed 13 prisoners by lethal injection after resuming executions following a 20-year gap.
Expanding Methods: Gas Asphyxiation and Electrocution
Beyond firing squads, the DOJ is also reintroducing gas asphyxiation and electrocution as federal execution options, the Guardian reported. Gas asphyxiation as a method was pioneered at the federal level by Alabama in 2024. Electrocution, once a primary execution method in the United States, has largely fallen out of favour but remains authorised in certain jurisdictions.
Blanche said the expanded methods are 'constitutional manners of execution that are currently provided for by the law of certain states.' The federal government's move is expected to influence state-level policies and reignite national debate over acceptable execution practices, CNBC reported.
Legal and Ethical Debate Intensifies
The revival of firing squad executions has prompted strong reactions. Proponents have argued that firing squads may offer a more reliable method than lethal injections, which have faced repeated legal challenges over botched executions, according to the Guardian. The Death Penalty Information Center noted a rise in state bills to add firing squads and other alternative execution methods following the federal announcement.
Legal challenges to the expanded methods are anticipated, likely focusing on whether firing squads, gas asphyxiation and electrocution comply with the constitutional prohibition on cruel and unusual punishment. The DOJ has said it intends to publish a proposed rule prohibiting capital inmates from submitting clemency petitions and to streamline habeas proceedings for capital cases.
The Future Of Federal Executions
The DOJ's policy shift underscores a broader determination to resume federal executions after years of legal and logistical uncertainty. By expanding the range of approved methods, the department aims to reduce delays and ensure that death sentences are carried out once judicial processes are complete.
Yet the move also sets the stage for renewed legal battles. Challenges are expected to focus on whether alternative methods, such as firing squads and gas asphyxiation, comply with constitutional protections against 'cruel and unusual punishment'.
As the United States navigates this contentious terrain, the return of firing squad executions serves as a stark reminder of the enduring complexities surrounding capital punishment—where law, ethics and practicality continue to collide.
