The Daily Fuckup

The Justice Department said Friday, April 24, 2026, that it is readopting the federal execution protocol used during the first Trump administration and expanding it to include the firing squad as an authorized method of execution. The department said the move is meant to let it carry out lawful capital sentences after appeals are exhausted. ([justice.gov](https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-takes-actions-strengthen-federal-death-penalty))

In its announcement, the department said it also directed the Bureau of Prisons to examine whether to relocate or expand federal death row, or build another execution facility, so the government can carry out more than one method if needed. It said the Office of Legislative Affairs will finish and deliver a legislative proposal to Congress. ([justice.gov](https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-takes-actions-strengthen-federal-death-penalty))

The department framed the package as a set of steps toward what it called a restored capital-punishment system, but several pieces are still prospective. DOJ said it plans in the coming weeks to consider a rule that would let states streamline federal habeas review in capital cases, publish a proposed rule on clemency petitions, and revise the Justice Manual to bring capital-case procedures back in line with its preferred approach. ([justice.gov](https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-takes-actions-strengthen-federal-death-penalty))

The policy shift does not itself mean a federal execution is ready to happen. DOJ’s release says the department has taken administrative steps and directed further planning, but the practical details still depend on facility changes, rulemaking, and later implementation. ([justice.gov](https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-takes-actions-strengthen-federal-death-penalty))