President Trump’s fiscal year 2027 budget request, released on Friday, asks Congress to spend $152 million to reopen Alcatraz as a “state-of-the-art secure prison facility.”
The President has long embraced tough lock-up conditions for violent criminals “as a symbol of Law, Order, and JUSTICE.”
Last May, President Trump called the Bureau of Prisons to reopen the original Alcatraz off the coast of San Francisco to house the “dregs of society.” He said in a Truth Social Post, “We will no longer be held hostage to criminals, thugs, and Judges that are afraid to do their job and allow us to remove criminals, who came into our Country illegally. The reopening of ALCATRAZ will serve as a symbol of Law, Order, and JUSTICE.
The historic facility is known for being surrounded by ice-cold water, strong tidal currents, and, sometimes, Great White sharks, making escape nearly impossible. Mob boss Al Capone was once housed in the famed former federal prison, which is now a tourist attraction and museum.
The President’s latest request, which will ultimately require congressional approval, reads, “For years, the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) has housed violent criminals in crumbling detention facilities. Building on a $5 billion investment secured in the President’s WFTC, the Budget further invests in BOP to ensure competitive pay, safe working conditions, and an end to longstanding correctional officer shortages. Within this level, the Budget also affirms the President’s commitment to rebuild Alcatraz as a state-of-the-art secure prison facility, providing $152 million to cover the first year of project costs.”
Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) slammed the President’s proposal on Friday, calling the idea “stupid” and demanding its rejection.
“I will work with my colleagues in the Congress to use every parliamentary and budgetary tactic available to block this lunacy,” she declared.
The Trump Administration’s budget proposal is absurd on its face and should be rejected outright.
Rebuilding Alcatraz into a modern prison is a stupid notion that would be nothing more than a waste of taxpayer dollars and an insult to the intelligence of the American people.
Alcatraz is a historic museum that belongs to the public, and San Franciscans will not stand for Washington turning one of our most iconic landmarks into a political prop.
At a time when communities are demanding real investments in public safety, this Administration is pushing a cartoonish throwback that does nothing to address the challenges facing working families.
I will work with my colleagues in the Congress to use every parliamentary and budgetary tactic available to block this lunacy.
The Trump Administration’s budget proposal is absurd on its face and should be rejected outright.
Rebuilding Alcatraz into a modern prison is a stupid notion that would be nothing more than a waste of taxpayer dollars and an insult to the intelligence of the American people.… pic.twitter.com/xPpBr6a5Yb
— Nancy Pelosi (@SpeakerPelosi) April 3, 2026
Jordan Conradson, formerly TGP’s Arizona correspondent, is currently on assignment in Washington DC. Jordan has played a critical role in exposing fraud and corruption in Arizona’s elections and elected officials. His reporting on election crimes in Maricopa County led to the resignation of one election official, and he was later banned from the Maricopa County press room for his courage in pursuit of the truth. TGP and Jordan finally gained access after suing Maricopa County, America’s fourth largest county, and winning at the Ninth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals. Conradson looks forward to bringing his aggressive style of journalism to the Swamp.
You can email Jordan Conradson here, and read more of Jordan Conradson’s articles here.
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