Trump aims to reverse Biden's climate initiatives

In December 2024, President Joe Biden announced the commutation of sentences for 37 individuals on federal death row, changing their sentences to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole. This historic decision significantly reduced the federal death row population to just three inmates awaiting execution. Among those whose sentences were not commuted are Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, Dylann Roof, and Robert Bowers, all convicted of hate-motivated mass murder and terrorism. Biden justified his actions by referencing the moratorium on federal executions instituted by his administration for certain types of crimes. In the context of an impending transition to a new administration under President-elect Donald Trump, Biden's move is seen as an effort to advance a progressive agenda regarding criminal justice reform and the death penalty. With Trump expressing intentions to expand the use of the death penalty and reinstate federal executions, Biden’s commutations could be viewed as an attempt to solidify changes in the federal justice system during his remaining time in office. The commutations also align with broader themes of racial justice and criticism against the death penalty practices in the United States. Additionally, Biden's recent actions included pardoning his son Hunter Biden for federal tax and gun-related offenses, showcasing a significant shift in the use of presidential clemency. The commutation of these death row sentences was also influenced by advocacy from various civil and human rights organizations who urged Biden to reconsider the federal death penalty and its implications for justice and morality. As of this report, the final outcomes of these policy changes and their effects on the future of federal executions remain uncertain following the transition of power to Trump, who has indicated his support for expanding capital punishment policies.