Trump Says He’s ‘Ready’ To Impose Death Penalty On People Who Sell Illicit Drugs, Calling Policy ‘Very Humane’
ArchiveFirst published March 4, 2025. It may not reflect later developments.
President Donald Trump has reiterated his support for executing drug dealers, claiming it would prevent overdose deaths and calling it a “very humane” policy. Speaking at a White House event with governors, he cited countries like China where such laws exist, stating, “If you notice that every country that has the death penalty has no drug problem.” However, it remains unclear what data supports this claim.
While acknowledging that the U.S. might not be “ready” for this approach, Trump encouraged governors to advocate for it at the state level. “I am ready for it: The death penalty if you’re dealing drugs,” he asserted.
Aggressive Anti-Drug Campaign
Trump announced a $100–$200 million public awareness campaign aimed at reducing drug use by 50%. “When some young kid is sitting down watching this commercial a couple of times, I really don’t think they’re going to be taking drugs,” he said.
Contradictions in Drug Policy
Despite advocating harsh penalties, Trump previously pardoned Alice Johnson, convicted of cocaine trafficking. “Alice was in prison for doing something that today probably wouldn’t even be prosecuted,” he said.
His administration’s stance on cannabis remains inconsistent, with officials expressing both pro-legalization and prohibitionist views.
