US Executions Skyrocketed in the Past Year to Peak in Over a Decade and a Half.

The number of executions in the US has sharply risen in 2025, hitting a rate not seen in since 2009. This sharp uptick is linked to a concerted push to revive the death penalty, combined with a notable shift in the stance of the nation's highest court toward last-minute appeals.

A Sobering Count: Nearly 50 Deaths in a Single Year

Exactly 47 men—all of whom were male—were executed by states that utilize the death penalty this year. This number represents nearly twice the count from 2024, constituting the most active period for executions in the United States in 16 years.

"Data indicates that the death penalty in 2025 is increasingly unpopular with the American people even as politicians schedule executions in search of diminishing political benefits."

A Global Outlier

This sharp increase further isolates the US from nearly all other developed nations, very few of which still carry out executions. In recent years, just a handful of Asian nations have carried out executions among peer countries.

A Public Opinion Divide

The comeback of executions clashes directly with broader patterns and current public sentiment. For years, the use of the death penalty had been in gradual decline. At the same time, surveys indicate support for capital punishment for those convicted of murder has reached a half-century low, with just over half of Americans in favor. A majority of citizens under the age of 55 now are against it.

Presidential Influence

On his first day back in office, the President issued an presidential directive titled "Reinstating Capital Punishment." This order aimed to ensure that statutes permitting capital punishment were "respected and faithfully implemented," marking a clear change from the previous presidency.

"It’s in the air, it’s in the national rhetoric sent down from the top—the idea is to use harsh measures to solve social problems," stated a well-known activist against executions.

A Surge in State Executions

The federal push was echoed and intensified at the level of individual states. Florida became a particular outlier, conducting 19 executions in 2025—a dramatic increase from just one the year before. This broke the state's previous record.

Alongside several other southern states, these four states were responsible for almost three-quarters of all executions this year. In total, 12 states actively used their execution facilities, up from nine states in 2024.

More Extreme Execution Protocols

As activity increased, some states turned to increasingly extreme methods. Louisiana concluded a 15-year hiatus and followed another state's lead to employ nitrogen hypoxia as an execution method. Witnesses reported the prisoner convulsed for several minutes during the procedure.

Meanwhile, South Carolina carried out the initial use by firing squad in the US since 2010, using this method for three of its five executions this year. Reports suggested that in one case, imprecise aim may have prolonged suffering for the individual.

The Supreme Court's Role

The surge in death sentences carried out is also linked to the position of the nation's highest court. The court's conservative majority denied every request to halt an execution in 2025, a notable demonstration of judicial disengagement.

This marks a change from the court's traditional function as a last resort for appeals based on claims of innocence, rights-based arguments, or allegations of cruel punishment. "We’re now operating lacking a crucial backup," noted a law professor. "Federal courts are supposed to serve as a final check, but that stop gap has been removed."