President Donald Trump announced Sunday that he is ordering the dramatic reopening of the infamous Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary, the historic island prison off the coast of San Francisco that was shuttered more than six decades ago.
“For too long, America has been plagued by vicious, violent, and repeat Criminal Offenders, the dregs of society, who will never contribute anything other than Misery and Suffering,” Trump declared in a post on Truth Social. “When we were a more serious Nation, in times past, we did not hesitate to lock up the most dangerous criminals, and keep them far away from anyone they could harm.”
“That’s the way it’s supposed to be. No longer will we tolerate these Serial Offenders who spread filth, bloodshed, and mayhem on our streets,” he continued. “That is why, today, I am directing the Bureau of Prisons, together with the Department of Justice, FBI, and Homeland Security, to reopen a substantially enlarged and rebuilt ALCATRAZ, to house America’s most ruthless and violent Offenders.”
Alcatraz, located less than two miles off the San Francisco shoreline, was originally developed in the mid-1800s. Its prison structures, including the iconic lighthouse, became the backdrop for one of America’s most notorious detention centers.
Between 1934 and 1963, the prison housed the worst of the worst—figures like Al Capone and George “Machine Gun” Kelly. The National Park Service, which currently oversees the island, describes Alcatraz as the government’s response to post-Prohibition and post-Depression America.
“Both the institution and the men confined within its walls reflect our society during this era,” the Park Service notes on its website, drawing a connection between the prison’s history and the broader societal context of the time. Alcatraz became a symbol of the federal government’s determination to deal with the most dangerous criminals in the country.
In his Sunday post, Trump emphasized the symbolic significance of the reopening. “This will serve as a symbol of Law, Order, and JUSTICE,” he stated. Trump’s message was uncompromising: “We will, MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”
The prison’s closure in 1963 was due to skyrocketing costs. The Bureau of Prisons notes that “USP [United States Penitentiary] Alcatraz closed after 29 years of operation” because it became too expensive to maintain.
“An estimated $3-5 million was needed just for restoration and maintenance work to keep the prison open. That figure did not include daily operating costs — Alcatraz was nearly three times more expensive to operate than any other Federal prison,” the bureau explains on its website.
