President Donald Trump highlighted this Friday the historic reduction in police officer deaths in the United States and defended his policy of applying the death penalty in appropriate federal cases against individuals convicted of murdering a law enforcement member.
During a speech before law enforcement officials in Long Island, Trump recalled an executive order he signed in January 2025, shortly after returning to the White House. The measure instructs the Attorney General to seek the death penalty in appropriate federal cases involving the murder of police officers.
''Shortly after taking office, I signed a historic Executive Order stating that anyone convicted of killing a police officer must face the death penalty,'' the president stated.
Trump presented the measure as part of his commitment to protecting law enforcement and toughening the consequences for those who attack officers. The president has made support for the police and the fight against crime central elements of his public safety agenda.
The executive order establishes that the Department of Justice must seek the death penalty when legal and appropriate in federal cases involving the murder of law enforcement officers. The measure is part of Trump's efforts to restore a federal policy more favorable to the application of the death penalty.
In addition to referring to the order, Trump highlighted the latest data on officer deaths in the line of duty. ''Last year, law enforcement deaths in the line of duty dropped to a 80-year low'', he noted.
The figures from the National Law Enforcement Memorial Fund support this data. A report published in January 2026 counted 111 officers killed in the line of duty during 2025, a 25% reduction from the 148 recorded in 2024.
