Surge in US Executions Driven by Florida, Renewed Federal Push
A new report reveals a dramatic increase in capital punishment cases in the US, with Florida leading the nation and the federal government resuming executions.
Executions in the United States nearly doubled in 2025 compared to the previous year, fueled by a significant surge in executions in Florida and the resumption of federal capital punishment under President Trump. The Death Penalty Information Center (DPI), which tracks capital punishment trends, released its year-end report Monday, revealing a complex landscape where executions are rising despite waning public support.
A Stark Increase in Numbers
According to the DPI report, states have carried out 46 executions as of late 2025, a substantial increase from the 25 recorded in 2024. With two additional executions scheduled in Georgia and Florida this week, the total is projected to reach 48 – the highest number in over 15 years. A striking 40% of all executions this year, or 19 individuals, have been or will be carried out in Florida.
“These trends show there is a real disconnect between what the American public wants and what elected officials are doing with the death penalty,” stated a senior official at the DPI. The organization maintains a neutral stance on the death penalty itself, but is critical of its application.
Florida Takes the Lead, DeSantis Cites Justice
Florida broke its own record for the most executions in a single year, surpassing the previous high of eight in 2014. At a press conference in November, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis attributed the increase to the resolution of delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. He emphasized a commitment to ensuring the death penalty is carried out “smoothly and promptly,” stating he owed it to victims’ families.
“We’ve heard from a lot of the family members of the victims over the years and if you think about it, some of these crimes were committed in the ’80s and they wait and there’s appeal and this and that,” DeSantis said. “There’s a saying, justice delayed is justice denied.” He also expressed his belief that the death penalty serves as a “strong deterrent” to crime, calling it “an appropriate punishment for the worst offenders.”
Federal Resumption and Veteran Cases
The dramatic rise in executions coincides with President Trump’s second term and his decision to resume federal executions, a practice halted by former President Joe Biden in 2021. The most recent federal executions occurred during the final days of Trump’s first term.
Adding another layer of complexity to the issue, the report highlights that 10 veterans will have been executed this year – the highest number in nearly two decades. One case highlighted in the report involved Jeffrey Hutchinson, executed in May for the murders of his girlfriend and her three children in 1998. His legal team argued that Hutchinson suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder and a traumatic brain injury sustained during the Gulf War.
According to the DPI, juries often lacked adequate information regarding the physical and psychological wounds experienced by veterans on death row. “The vulnerabilities and the difficulties they experienced as a result of their military service were not properly presented to juries,” a DPI representative explained.
Concerns Over Vulnerabilities and Intellectual Disability
The report also raises concerns about the execution of individuals with significant vulnerabilities. At least 40 death row prisoners executed or scheduled for execution this year were identified as having “vulnerabilities,” including brain damage, serious mental illness, severe childhood trauma, or an IQ within the range of intellectual disability.
“Many would not or could not be sentenced to death today because of changes in the law and society’s understanding of the effects of mental illness and severe trauma,” said the DPI’s executive director. The Supreme Court ruled in 2002 that executing individuals with intellectual disabilities is unconstitutional, but states retain discretion in assessing intellectual disability. The nation’s highest court is currently reviewing how states should utilize IQ test results in evaluating mental capacity, with disability advocacy groups warning that a narrow focus on IQ scores could lead to more executions of individuals with intellectual disabilities.
Declining Death Sentences, Shifting Public Opinion
Despite the increase in executions, the number of new death sentences continues a decades-long downward trend. Only 22 new death sentences were issued in 2025, a significant drop from the 139 recorded in 2005. These sentences were handed down in eight states: Florida, California, Alabama, Texas, North Carolina, Arizona, Missouri, and Pennsylvania.
Prosecutors are increasingly hesitant to pursue the death penalty due to the high costs and lengthy legal battles associated with capital cases. A growing reluctance among jurors to impose the death penalty is also contributing to the decline. According to the DPI, public support for the death penalty is also waning. A Gallup poll in October found that 52% of Americans favor the death penalty for a person convicted of murder – the lowest percentage since 1972. This suggests a growing disconnect between the actions of elected officials and the evolving views of the American public on capital punishment.
