President Donald Trump’s administration has confirmed that plans to rebuild and reopen Alcatraz are already underway, but San Francisco politicians have dismissed it as an unsafe “distraction.”
“From day one, the Trump administration has made it clear that it is no longer tolerated by dangerous and confused serial criminals that will cause bloodshed and mayhem in the American community,” White House principal Harrison Fields told Fox News Digital in a statement.
“At President Trump’s direction, Attorney General Bondi, Secretary of State for the Secretary of Justice Bondi, Secretary of Burgham and other administrative leaders are beginning to rebuild Alcatraz and reopen it, identifying the necessary measures to make America safe again.”
As the Trump administration takes the first step towards opening up the infamous Alcatraz, California politician Gavin Newsom, Rep. Nancy Pelosi and Mayor Daniel Luley agree that the plan is “not serious.”
Trump orders the federal government to reopen Alcatraz and orders to house “the most ruthless and violent” criminals in America
President Donald Trump has directed the administration to rebuild Alcatraz and reopen it to house the most violent criminals. (Credit: istock | Getty Images)
“It looks like a distraction day again in Washington, DC,” a Newsom spokesman told Fox News Digital.
“Alcatraz was closed as a federal prison over 60 years ago. It is now a very popular national park and a major tourist attraction. The president’s proposal is not serious,” Pelosi told social media on Sunday.
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“I think speaker Emelita Pelosi said he was right about Alcatraz. This is not a serious suggestion,” Lurie said in a statement shared with Fox News Digital.
Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi tears off President Donald Trump’s Union speech during his first term. San Franciscon said Trump’s Alcatraz plan was “not a serious proposal.” (Getty Images)
According to the National Park Service, Alcatraz has worn many hats in history, including military prisons, federal prisons, Civil War Fortress, Bird Sanctuary, the first West Coast Lighthouse and the birthplace of the American Indian Red Power Movement. Alcatraz is best known for living in federal prisoners, including the infamous gangster Al Capone, Trump himself often elicited in his campaign trajectory.
“I was charged more than Al Capone,” Trump often said during his 2024 campaign for the president at his “Make America Great” rally. Capone was charged with avoiding federal income taxes of at least 23 counts.
Alcatraz is a staple food attraction in San Francisco, attracting 1.2 million visitors a year. As part of the San Francisco National Park Service, the exhibit includes an exploration of the island’s history as a military and federal prison, while also sharing insights into the 19-month occupation by Native Americans protesting the US government’s termination policy aimed at ending federal oversight for American Indians.
But Trump has his own plan for Alcatraz, and on Sunday he made a true social announcement that he “want to rebuild and open Alcatraz”!
Then-President of Former Donald Trump spoke at a campaign rally at Madison Square Garden in New York City on October 27, 2024. (Angelawice/AFP via Getty Images)
“For a long time, America has been plagued by vicious, violent, repeated criminals, criminal offenders, and society’s defeat. They contribute nothing but misery and suffering. Mayhem on our streets,” Trump said.
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“So today, along with the Department of Justice’s FBI and the Department of Homeland Security, I’m instructing the Bureau of Prisons to significantly expand and rebuild Alcatraz and house America’s most ruthless and violent criminals. The reopening of Alcatraz serves as a symbol of law, order and justice.
Deirdre Heavey is a political writer for Fox News Digital.
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