Donald Trump has launched a scathing Christmas Day attack on death row inmates who received commuted sentences from President Joe Biden, telling them to "go to hell" in a message on Truth Social.
The former President vowed to expand capital punishment ahead of his return to the White House, after his predecessor converted the sentences of 37 federal death row prisoners to life imprisonment.
Biden introduced a moratorium on federal capital punishment, marking a stark contrast to Trump's administration which carried out 13 executions during his first term.
In announcing the commutations, Biden said: "In good conscience, I cannot stand back and let a new administration resume executions that I halted."
Donald Trump tells death row inmates to 'go to hell' after Biden shows mercy
GETTY/REUTERS
The decision affected nearly all inmates on federal death row, converting their sentences to life behind bars.
In his Truth Social post, Trump wrote: "Also, to the 37 most violent criminals, who killed, raped, and plundered like virtually no one before them, but were just given, incredibly, a pardon by Sleepy Joe Biden."
"I refuse to wish a Merry Christmas to those lucky souls but, instead, will say, GO TO HELL!" he added.
Trump also claimed the decision was devastating for victims' families, adding: "Relatives and friends are further devastated. They can't believe this is happening!"
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:While Trump cannot reverse Biden's commutations, he could authorise executions for the three remaining federal death row inmates, pending appeals.
These include Dylann Roof, who killed nine black worshippers at a South Carolina church in 2015, Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, and Robert Bowers, who murdered 11 congregants at a Pittsburgh synagogue in 2018.
Trump previously promised to "vigorously pursue" the death penalty if re-elected, vowing to protect American families from "violent rapists, murderers, and monsters."
"We will be a Nation of Law and Order again!" he declared on the campaign trail.
He criticised Biden's commutations, saying: "Joe Biden just commuted the death sentence on 37 of the worst killers in our country.
"When you hear the acts of each, you won't believe that he did this. Makes no sense."
Federal death penalties are typically reserved for the most serious crimes occurring on federal property or involving federal employees, while most capital cases are handled by states.
There are currently 40 federal death row inmates compared to more than 2,000 prisoners sentenced to death by states.
Public support for capital punishment has declined significantly, with Gallup polling showing about 50 per cent of Americans in favour, down from roughly 70 per cent in 2007.
