In a fiery social media post Sunday evening, the president called to rebuild and reopen Alcatraz, despite its chilling reputation made famous by Hollywood and well-known inmates
President Donald Trump has announced his order to reopen Alcatraz, the infamous island prison in California. In a post on Truth Social on Sunday evening, the president demanded to “REBUILD, AND OPEN ALCATRAZ!”.
“For too long, America has been plagued by vicious, violent, and repeat criminal offenders, the dregs of society, who will never contribute anything other than Misery and Suffering,” wrote Trump. He later told journalists it was “just an idea” he had as federal judges insisted on ensuring deported migrants received due process.
Today, Alcatraz is renowned as a major historical landmark and popular tourist destination, but its complex past reveals a darker narrative. Originally, the island served as a heavily fortified military outpost on the West Coast before its transformation into a notorious federal penitentiary in 1934.
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Alcatraz’s strategic location at the entrance to San Francisco Bay made it an ideal location for defense purposes. The US Army constructed a fort on the island in the 1850s and equipped it with artillery to safeguard the bay from foreign invasion as US interests in the Pacific continued to grow.
Additionally, it protected San Francisco from Confederate raiders during the Civil War. The fort eventually evolved into a military prison, a function it retained well into the 20th century.
In the 1930s, the Department of Justice assumed control of Alcatraz, and the island began to receive convicts from the federal prison system. Among its infamous inmates were notorious gangsters such as Al Capone, Mickey Cohen, and George “Machine Gun” Kelly.
As a maximum-security prison surrounded by the treacherous, icy currents of the Pacific, Alcatraz developed a reputation as a “last resort” facility, where the most violent and unruly prisoners from other facilities were sent. Despite numerous failed attempts, escape from the prison was virtually impossible.
The 1962 film “Birdman of Alcatraz,” starring Burt Lancaster, further cemented the prison’s notorious reputation. The film told the story of convicted murderer Robert Stroud, who, while serving a life sentence on the island, developed an interest in ornithology and became an expert in the field.
The 1979 American biographical prison drama, Escape from Alcatraz, narrated the tale of a 1962 prisoner escape, with Clint Eastwood taking on the role of mastermind Frank Morris.
Alcatraz was also the backdrop for the 1996 blockbuster The Rock, featuring Sean Connery and Nicolas Cage, which told the story of a former SAS captain and an FBI chemist tasked with saving hostages on Alcatraz island.
Despite its dark history, US Bureau of Prisons Director William K. Marshall III declared that his agency would “pursue all avenues” to put into action Trump’s plans for reopening the jail.
“I have ordered an immediate assessment to determine our needs and the next steps. USP Alcatraz has a rich history. We look forward to restoring this powerful symbol of law, order, and justice. We will be actively working with our law enforcement and other federal partners to reinstate this very important mission,” Marshall said in a statement.
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