In a bold and controversial move, President Donald Trump announced on Sunday via his Truth Social platform that he is ordering the reopening and expansion of the notorious Alcatraz prison. The former maximum-security facility, located on an island in San Francisco Bay, has been closed since 1963 and now serves as a popular tourist attraction.
Trump stated, “For too long, America has been plagued by vicious, violent, and repeat criminal offenders. 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.”
According to the president, the reactivated facility will be dedicated to housing “America’s most ruthless and violent offenders,” and will stand as a symbol of “law, order, and justice.” 
Alcatraz has a storied past. Originally constructed as a military defense fort, it was later converted into a federal prison in the 1930s. Over the years, it held infamous criminals such as Al Capone, Mickey Cohen, and George “Machine Gun” Kelly. The prison became widely known through popular films such as Birdman of Alcatraz (1962) and The Rock (1996), further embedding it into American culture.
Despite its legendary reputation, Alcatraz was closed primarily due to its high operational costs. The Federal Bureau of Prisons has noted that maintaining the facility was nearly three times more expensive than operating other federal prisons, largely due to its isolated island location.
This move comes amidst increasing tension over Trump’s controversial policy of sending alleged gang members to foreign prisons, including a recent transfer of over 200 Venezuelan suspects to El Salvador. He has also suggested detaining so-called “homegrown criminals” abroad.
If plans go ahead, the reopened Alcatraz could once again become a focal point in the U.S. justice system—this time in the 21st century’s war on violent crime.
