The President of the United States, Donald Trump, reiterated on Friday his proposal regarding the death penalty for drug traffickers and urged the governors of all 50 states to legislate on the matter so that the punishment can be carried out. During a meeting with the state governors, Trump assured that in Asian countries where capital punishment is allowed, they 'do not have drug problems.' He also mentioned that he had a conversation with Chinese President Xi Jinping about implementing the death penalty for drug traffickers in China. 'They execute drug traffickers and, when you think about it, it's very humane because on average, each drug trafficker kills 500 people, not to mention the harm they cause to many others,' argued the U.S. president. Additionally, he pointed out that there are quite a few countries in Asia where they have the death penalty as a punishment for drug traffickers. 'They come to our country because we have a much softer policy' against drug trafficking, said Donald Trump, who recently signed an executive order designating Mexican drug cartels as terrorist organizations.
The President of the United States stated that he is ready to implement the death penalty against drug traffickers; however, he asked governors to legislate on the subject so it can become a reality. 'Your states have the right to apply the death penalty to drug traffickers as well. But do it only if you want to get rid of drugs,' he affirmed at the event on Friday, February 21. In January, President Donald Trump signed a sweeping execution order regarding the death penalty that instructs the Attorney General to 'take all necessary and legal measures' to ensure that states have enough lethal injection drugs to carry out executions.
Trump's order mandates the Department of Justice not only to seek the death penalty in appropriate federal cases but also to help preserve capital punishment in states that have struggled to maintain adequate supplies of lethal injection drugs. The Trump administration carried out 13 federal executions during his first term, more than any other president in modern history, and the president has frequently spoken about expanding executions. In a speech announcing his 2024 campaign, Trump called for those who 'sell drugs to receive the death penalty for their atrocious acts.' He later promised to execute drug traffickers and people and even praised the harsher treatment that China gives to drug traffickers.
