Pope Leo issues death penalty message amid Trump’s DoJ firing squad plan | World | News
Pope Leo offered a message of support to people campaigning for the abolition of the death penalty in the US, as the Trump administration announced it was taking steps to “strengthen” the death penalty. In a striking clash of values on the same day Pope Leo XIV called on the world to reject the death penalty altogether, the US Department of Justice announced plans to expand the way executions are carried out.
In his video message, Pope Leo XIV confirmed the Catholic Church’s opposition to the death penalty, calling it “unacceptable” and an attack on human dignity. Speaking at an event at DePaul University celebrating 15 years since Illinois abolished the death penalty, he said every human life must be protected “from birth to natural death.” He said the right to life is “the foundation of all other human rights.” He added that even those guilty of serious crimes do not lose their dignity, and argued that modern justice systems can protect the public without resorting to executions. On the same day, the U.S. Department of Justice confirmed that it had moved to expand the federal use of the death penalty under the President. Donald Trump.
Plans include reintroducing firing squads as a method of execution and reintroducing lethal injection protocols used during Trump’s first term. Some US states already allow firing squads under certain conditions.
Officials said the changes were designed to “strengthen the federal death penalty” and allow executions to proceed after legal challenges are exhausted. The department also said it was “streamlining internal processes” to expedite death penalty cases.
The developments highlight the ongoing and often bitterly divided debate over capital punishment in the United States; Efforts to expand the use of the death penalty continue, alongside opposition from religious groups and campaigners.
The U.S. Department of Justice said it was acting to “reestablish its solemn duty to seek, obtain and carry out lawful death sentences,” clearing the way for executions to resume.
He also confirmed that in addition to the use of lethal injection drugs, “the protocol has been expanded to include additional execution methods such as firing squad.”
The figures show that executions have increased in recent years, even though public support has fallen significantly over the past three decades.
According to the Death Penalty Information Center, “evidence suggests that the death penalty in 2025 is increasingly unpopular with the American public.”
Campaigners argue the system could lead to irreversible miscarriages of justice, while supporters insist it remains a vital punishment for the most serious offences.
