U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi and Secretary to the Interior Doug Burgum each visited Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary in San Francisco on Thursday, just months after President Donald Trump called for the historic prison to be reopened for "America’s most ruthless and violent" offenders.
Both Trump administration cabinet members shared photos of their visit to the long-shuttered penitentiary, which was closed over 60 years ago because of its crumbling infrastructure and the high costs associated with repairing and supplying the island facility. It has since served as a prominent tourist destination operated by the National Park Service.
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"Spent the day on Alcatraz Island, a @NatlParkService site, to start the work to renovate and reopen the site to house the most dangerous criminals and illegals," Burgum said in a statement. "This administration is restoring safety, justice, and order to our streets."
"Under President Trump, we are Making America Safe Again," Bondi added.
A great morning at Alcatraz with @SecretaryBurgum.
Under President Trump, we are Making America Safe Again. pic.twitter.com/oXOh1CrG6U
— Attorney General Pamela Bondi (@AGPamBondi) July 17, 2025
In May, President Trump floated the idea of reopening the historic prison, which has held notorious gangsters like Al Capone and George "Machine Gun" Kelly. It's part of his push to transform how and where federal detainees are imprisoned.
"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," President Trump said at the time on his Truth Social platform. "When we were a more serious Nation, in times past, we did not 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.”
However, renovating Alcatraz to meet modern-day standards would require massive investment at a time when the Federal Bureau of Prisons has been forced to shutter some detention facilities for similar infrastructure problems.
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Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi — whose district includes Alcatraz — told Scripps News Congressional Correspondent Nathaniel Reed on Thursday that she doesn't foresee the prison ever being reopened or made suitable for detainees.
"It depends how many prisoners they think they're gonna put there," she said. "Is it for one? ... Or is it for a couple hundred people? But I don't think it's ever going to happen."
Things you can't make up: Fmr. House Speaker Rep. Nancy Pelosi today suggested I would be "a good candidate" to move to Alcatraz 😂🤣
WATCH: pic.twitter.com/1xdYhXHTr2
— Nathaniel Reed (@ReedReports) July 17, 2025
