The infamous Alcatraz prison has been shut down for over 60 years — but now Donald Trump wants to bring “The Rock” back to life.
In a revealing post on Truth Social, he shared his thoughts on who deserves a one-way ticket to the windswept island off the coast of San Francisco.
The Evolution of Alcatraz
Alcatraz, once known as the most notorious prison on the planet, has undergone a remarkable transformation. Today, it’s no longer about iron bars and isolation—it’s a selfie paradise. The former island penitentiary has become one of San Francisco’s most popular tourist destinations, attracting around 1.5 million visitors annually. Tourists flock to explore the haunting cells, listen to eerie ghost stories, and try to imagine the grim life of its former residents.
The iconic 1962 escape, in which three inmates mysteriously disappeared under the cover of night, set off a political storm. Faced with deteriorating infrastructure and mounting costs, the federal government finally shut down the facility on March 21, 1963.
But it seems Donald Trump might have a soft spot—perhaps even a nostalgic one—for the infamous island. In fact, he’s not only suggesting a reopening but an expansion of Alcatraz.
In a post on Truth Social Sunday night, Trump declared:
“For too long, America has been plagued by vicious, violent, and repeat Criminal Offenders—the dregs of society—who contribute nothing but Misery and Suffering. In our more serious past, we didn’t hesitate to lock up the most dangerous criminals and keep them far away from anyone they could harm. That’s the way it’s supposed to be.”
He continued:
“Today, I am directing the Bureau of Prisons, along with the Department of Justice, FBI, and Homeland Security, to reopen and substantially expand Alcatraz to house America’s most ruthless and violent offenders.”
A Vision for a Broader Reform
Trump’s push to reopen Alcatraz is part of a larger plan to overhaul the U.S. federal prison and immigration detention system. After a weekend in Florida, he returned to Washington and voiced his frustrations about what he calls “radicalized judges” who, in his view, are slowing down deportations by demanding due process.
“Alcatraz has long been a symbol of law and order,” Trump said. “It has quite the history.”
A Herculean Task
Reviving the notorious island prison won’t come without its challenges—or costs. Alcatraz has been closed since 1963, largely due to its sky-high operating expenses and deteriorating infrastructure. In fact, the Bureau of Prisons has been shutting down similar facilities for years.
Still, a Bureau of Prisons spokesperson confirmed that the agency “will comply with all Presidential Orders.”
Questions of Feasibility
However, when pressed by the Associated Press about the logistics or legal feasibility of reopening Alcatraz, especially given that the island is now managed by the National Park Service, the Bureau declined to comment further.
Democratic Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi, whose district includes Alcatraz, didn’t mince words in her response to Trump’s plan.
“It’s now a popular national park and major tourist destination. The President’s proposal is not a serious one,” she posted on X.
Trump’s latest executive order comes at a time when he’s intensifying his hardline stance on immigration. Recently, he proposed transferring accused gang members to a maximum-security prison in El Salvador—without due process—and even floated the controversial idea of sending U.S. prisoners to CECOT, a Salvadoran facility known for housing suspected terrorists.
In another bold move, Trump has ordered the construction of a new detention center at Guantanamo Bay, which would be capable of holding up to 30,000 of what he calls the “worst criminal aliens.”
While the fate of Alcatraz remains uncertain, one thing is clear: Trump is determined to restore law and order with a vengeance. Is reopening Alcatraz a strategic move to reinforce justice, or is it just a dystopian spectacle fit for the history books?
