American Executions Skyrocketed in 2025 to Peak in Over a Decade and a Half.
The count of state-sanctioned killings in the US has dramatically increased in 2025, hitting a level not seen in 16 years. This surge is linked to a concerted push to reinvigorate the death penalty, coupled with a significant change in the approach of the nation's highest court toward last-minute appeals.
A Grim Tally: Nearly 50 Deaths in a Single Year
A total of 47 men—each one were male—were executed by states that utilize the death penalty this year. This figure represents nearly twice the total from the previous year, constituting the most active period for capital punishment in the United States since 2009.
"Data indicates that the death penalty in 2025 is growing less popular with the American people even as politicians carry out death sentences in search of diminishing political benefits."
An International Exception
This pronounced rise further separates the United States from most other advanced economies, almost none of which continue the practice. In recent years, just Japan, Singapore, and Taiwan have carried out capital punishment among peer countries.
Contradictory Trends
The comeback of state killings stands in stark contrast with long-term trends and modern public opinion. Over the past two decades, the use of the death penalty had been in a steady decrease. At the same time, polling indicate support for capital punishment for those convicted of murder has fallen to a 50-year low, with 52% of respondents in favor. Most of citizens under the age of 55 now oppose it.
Executive Action Sets the Tone
On his inauguration day back in office, the President issued an executive order titled "Restoring the Death Penalty." This order sought to guarantee that laws authorizing capital punishment were "respected and faithfully implemented," signaling a major shift from the previous presidency.
"The tone is set, the national dialogue sent down from the top—the idea is to use harsh measures to solve social problems," remarked a well-known activist against executions.
A Surge in State Executions
The national initiative was echoed and intensified at the level of individual states. The state of Florida became a particular outlier, carrying out 19 executions in 2025—a staggering increase from just one the year before. This shattered the state's prior annual record.
Together with several other southern states, these four states were the source of almost 75% of all executions this year. In total, 12 states actively used their death chambers, up from nine states in 2024.
More Extreme Execution Protocols
As more executions occurred, some states turned to increasingly extreme methods. Louisiana concluded a 15-year hiatus and became the second state to use nitrogen hypoxia as an execution method. Witnesses reported the prisoner convulsed for several minutes during the procedure.
Meanwhile, South Carolina carried out the first execution by a squad of shooters in the US since 2010, deploying this approach for three of its total executions this year. Reports suggested that in one case, faulty targeting may have prolonged suffering for the individual.
A Changed Judicial Landscape
The surge in death sentences carried out is also connected to the position of the US Supreme Court. The majority-conservative bench denied every request to stay an execution in 2025, a rare display of judicial disengagement.
This marks a change from the court's historical role as a last resort for legal challenges based on claims of innocence, constitutional arguments, or allegations of cruel punishment. "We’re now operating lacking a crucial backup," noted a law professor. "The judiciary are supposed to serve as a final check, but that stop gap has been removed."
