Trump says he will reopen Alcatraz for the 'most ruthless and violent' prisoners

The prison on a forbidding island off San Francisco was operated at a prohibitive cost. Now, President Trump says it's time to substantially enlarge and rebuild Alcatraz as a federal penitentiary.

May 5, 2025 - 17:43
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Trump says he will reopen Alcatraz for the 'most ruthless and violent' prisoners
The former federal prison complex on Alcatraz Island is seen in 2005. The site has been operated by the National Parks Service for decades — but President Trump says he is ordering federal agencies to rebuild and expand a penitentiary site on the island in San Francisco Bay.

The prison on a forbidding island off San Francisco was operated at a prohibitive cost. Now, President Trump says it's time to substantially enlarge and rebuild Alcatraz as a federal penitentiary.

(Image credit: Helene Labriet-Gross)