Amazingly, the president didn't attempt to reopen Alcatraz earlier because it's such a distinctly Trumpian idea.
Enclosing criminals in small cells on an island encircled by deadly currents would satisfy President Donald Trump's desire for a macho display.
The jail, which had long fascinated the president, became a pop culture phenomenon years after it was closed in 1963. Its reputation was based on movies about desperados and harsh justice, as well as infamous stories about gangster inmates like Al Capone. Its infamous past is a great fit for the brutal imagery the White House is using to support its plans for mass deportations and strict criminal justice.
Recommissioning the Rock would support Trump's self-proclaimed strongman persona and give him a ruthless appearance, which is the intention of many White House initiatives. Those Trump followers who react to his dystopian theatrics may nod their heads and regard it as common sense as a new home for the worst of the worst, while liberals are likely to be appalled by the notion.
The president described the island as "a sad symbol, but it's a symbol of law and order" on Sunday, indicating that he is not hiding the allure of Alcatraz as a metaphor for his rule. He reminded reporters at the White House on Monday that "the most violent criminals in the world" used to be housed in the former prison.
A strategy that is unlikely to succeed
Reviving Alcatraz, which is located off the coast of San Francisco, as a federal jail is obviously extremely unrealistic and might be a waste of millions of dollars during a period when Elon Musk has been cutting the federal budget. It would take a lot of effort to bring it up to current standards, not necessarily for the convicts but just to make sure the prison guards who would have to work there are safe. Furthermore, there are significant concerns regarding the type of due process prospective Alcatraz inmates may anticipate, given the administration's slack attitude toward deportations and the rule of law.
However, good governance has never been the top priority of Trump's government.
The federal Supermax prison in Colorado, for example, is a remote, austere facility that the shoe bomber Richard Reid, World Trade Center bomber Ramzi Yousef, and Oklahoma City co-conspirator Terry Nichols will never leave if the president wants to imprison the worst offenders. However, in addition to receiving several life sentences, inmates are also transferred to Supermax to vanish from the public eye.
Undocumented migrants have already been sent to Guantanamo Bay by Trump. He had his sights set on a different facility at the Cuban base than the one housing 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed. The point, however, was the name's ominous overtones.
The final implementation of this plan would be the reopening of Alcatraz, which would serve as a living representation of the president's contrived power and his derision of political correctness.
And even if years of administrative delays, legal challenges, and other barriers mean Trump will never have the prison reopened, he’s already got the headline.
Trump would also benefit from the idea. One of the most liberal cities in the country, which also happens to be home to House Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi, a presidential foe, would be humiliated by Alcatraz 2.0. The California representative treated Trump's most recent outburst with the contempt she usually shows for her erstwhile rival. Moreover, over 60 years have passed since Alcatraz's closure as a federal prison. Today, it is a well-known national park and a top travel destination. Pelosi commented on X, "The President's proposal is not a serious one."
But what greater metaphor could a president who loves dictators use for his second term than transforming a popular tourist destination into a desolate gulag that brings back the harsh justice of a less progressive era?
Trump's stunt politics frequently succeed but occasionally fail.
Trump's administration frequently appears to be a series of outrageous ideas and televised theatrics. The notion that the former "Apprentice" star's reign was a prolonged reality show became a tired cliché during his first term.
Many of Trump's choreographed spectacles, such as his march into Lafayette Square in Washington after it had just been brutally cleansed of demonstrators, were more concerning toward the end of that first mandate. He was accompanied by senior aides, such as Gen. Mark Milley, the then-Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who later expressed regret for participating in a politicized photo op and became the president's adversary.
On the other hand, Trump's rally on the Ellipse in Washington on January 6, 2021, prepared the ground for one of the most tragic events in American history: his MAGA-supporting mob's attack on the US Capitol.
The administration has intentionally used authoritarian connotations in its political choreography during the second term. When questioned over the weekend by NBC's Kristen Welker if he must uphold the Constitution, the president responded, "I don't know." Additionally, Trump intends to honor the Army's 250th anniversary on his birthday with a military parade that will probably bring back memories of the pageants of tanks and missiles that past Soviet dictators adored.
The president's outrageous plans frequently appear to be designed to divert attention. As the economy struggles due to his haphazard tariff fights, his idea to reopen Alcatraz may have been timed to distract from those comments on NBC or to try to forget that he has yet to deliver on any promised trade deal despite his constant predictions of impending breakthroughs. Trump has every reason to want to shift the conversation: the absence of meaningful negotiations with China, which is already suffering from a 145% tariff imposed by a president enraged by Beijing's retaliation, could soon lead to a serious crisis.
At other times, Trump appears to be driven only by a desire for attention. During his first term, he made a state visit to meet the late Queen Elizabeth II, which satisfied his passion for grandeur. He has received a reprise invitation from King Charles III.
And among the most spectacular diplomatic events in recent decades are Trump's summits with the reclusive North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un, whom he had earlier derided as a "little rocket man." The president entered the hermit kingdom during one meeting, making history in the process. The world was captivated by the breathtaking photo opportunities. However, the summit did not result in any major long-term breakthroughs that would have eliminated the North's nuclear and missile programs. Trump would counter that no other contemporary president has been more successful in pursuing conventional engagement, diplomacy, or sanctions against North Korea.
Trump's theatrical approach has occasionally backfired or angered. For instance, he boasted about the size of his first inaugural audience in 2017 while standing in front of the CIA's Wall of Stars, which honors deceased personnel. Another time, Trump used a Boy Scout Jamboree as a platform for his own political agenda.
However, Trump has also been able to turn dire situations into political gold thanks to his penchant for the dramatic. Any other politician's career would have finished when he was mugged at a Georgia jail after being indicted for a crime. It served as a springboard for Trump's most spectacular political resurgence in American history. And after eluding death at the hands of a would-be killer, he had the foresight to stand up, grip his fist, and produce one of the most memorable images in the republic's history.
That instance aligned with the recurring theme in the president's political performance art, which appeals to his supporters irresistibly while reminding detractors of a demagogue who despises democracy. Trump presents himself as a contemporary Caesar with merciless authority, whether he is signing executive orders on stage during his second inauguration, standing at the White House as a victorious hero after recovering from the hospital from COVID-19, or sending undocumented migrants to El Salvador in shackles.
His directive to the Bureau of Prisons to reopen Alcatraz was the result of that mentality.
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