Wisevoter
U.S.

United States Executions Rose Significantly in 2025

The U.S. carried out 47 executions in 2025, nearly doubling the 25 recorded during the previous year.

Updated on Oct. 10, 2026 in Terrorism

Bold flat-color editorial illustration of a monolithic courthouse facade, rendered in navy and cream with a red vertical accent line.
The number of executions in the United States nearly doubled in 2025, reaching 47 as federal policy shifted toward greater use of capital punishment. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

Live Poll

Do you support the use of the death penalty for those convicted of serious crimes?

Executions in the United States increased to 47 in 2025, up from 25 in 2024. This trend follows an order from President Donald Trump in January 2025 declaring capital punishment an essential tool for restoring order and justice.

Why it matters

The rise in state-sanctioned deaths reflects a shift in federal policy aimed at restoring capital punishment as a core component of the justice system. The approach has seen states experiment with various methods, including nitrogen gas and firing squads.

Official records show 47 executions occurred in the U.S. in 2025, with Florida accounting for 40 percent of that total. Methods employed varied by state, including nitrogen gas in Louisiana and Alabama, as well as a firing squad in South Carolina.

The players

Donald Trump

Donald Trump is the current President of the United States.

Nidal Malik Hasan

Nidal Malik Hasan is a former U.S. Army major scheduled for execution by firing squad.

Christa Pike

Christa Pike is an inmate who survived a lethal injection attempt in Tennessee.

The details

The U.S. military has scheduled a live-streamed execution of Nidal Malik Hasan by firing squad for December 3. Meanwhile, the legal system has faced complications, such as when Christa Pike survived a lethal injection attempt in Tennessee.

Timeline

  1. January 2025: President Donald Trump issued an order declaring capital punishment an essential tool.

  2. December 3: The U.S. military scheduled a live-streamed firing squad execution.

Legal Context

Current execution rates remain below the historical peak of 98 recorded in 1999. The present trend marks a departure from the previous decade, following an era where Joe Biden commuted 37 federal death sentences.

The use of new execution methods like nitrogen gas and firing squads has prompted national conversations regarding state protocols and human rights standards. Citizens may observe shifts in local judicial procedures and legal challenges as states implement these evolving punishment frameworks.

The takeaway

Public opinion on the death penalty has fluctuated significantly since 1966, currently resting at 52 percent support. Understanding these legal shifts helps citizens engage with the ongoing debate surrounding the role of capital punishment in modern governance.

What happens next

The U.S. military is scheduled to conduct a live-streamed firing squad execution on December 3.

Further reading

Learn more about federal justice policies in the Terrorism section.

Live Poll

Do you support the use of the death penalty for those convicted of serious crimes?