The Death Penalty in the U.S.: On the Same Day, Pope Leo XIV and the Trump Administration Weigh In (With Opposing Views)

(ZENIT News / Vatican City, 04.24.2026).- On the occasion of the 15th anniversary of the abolition of the “death penalty” in the state of Illinois, the home state of Pope Leo XIV, the Holy Father chose to mark the occasion with a video message that was broadcast during a commemorative ceremony at DePaul University in Chicago.

The Pope’s message was released coinciding with the Trump administration’s proposal to reinstate the “death penalty” by firing squad. Currently, the “death penalty” is legal in 27 of the 50 states of the United States. In 2025, 11 of those states carried out executions. In 2024, 9 states carried out the death penalty, and in 2023, 5. We reproduce the Pope’s video message below:

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