American Executions Surged in the Past Year to Peak in Over a Decade and a Half.

The number of state-sanctioned killings in the United States has sharply risen in 2025, hitting a rate not seen in since 2009. This surge is linked to a concerted push to revive judicial killings, combined with a notable shift in the approach of the US Supreme Court toward last-minute appeals.

A Sobering Count: Nearly 50 Deaths in a Single Year

A total of 47 men—all of whom were male—were executed by states maintaining the death penalty in 2025. This number represents nearly double the total from 2024, marking the highest annual total for executions in the country since 2009.

"Data indicates that the death penalty in 2025 is increasingly unpopular with the public even as elected officials carry out death sentences in search of diminishing political benefits."

A Global Outlier

This sharp increase further separates the US from most other developed nations, almost none of which still carry out executions. In recent years, just Japan, Singapore, and Taiwan have carried out capital punishment among peer countries.

Contradictory Trends

The resurgence of executions stands in stark contrast with broader patterns and current public sentiment. For years, the use of the death penalty had been in a steady decrease. At the same time, surveys indicate support for capital punishment for murder convictions has fallen to a 50-year low, with just over half of Americans in favor. A majority of adults under the age of 55 now are against it.

Executive Action Sets the Tone

On his inauguration day back in office, the President issued an executive order titled "Restoring the Death Penalty." This order sought to ensure that statutes permitting capital punishment were "upheld and properly enforced," signaling a major shift from the prior administration.

"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," remarked a prominent anti-death penalty advocate.

A Surge in State Executions

The national initiative was echoed and intensified at the state level. Florida became a notable extreme case, carrying out 19 executions in 2025—a staggering increase from just one the year before. This broke the state's prior annual record.

Alongside Alabama, South Carolina, and Texas, these a quartet of jurisdictions were the source of almost 75% of all deaths this year. Overall, a dozen states actively used their death chambers, up from nine in 2024.

More Extreme Execution Protocols

As more executions occurred, some states turned to more controversial methods. One state concluded a long period without executions and became the second state to use nitrogen hypoxia as an means of execution. Witnesses reported the condemned individual convulsed for several minutes during the procedure.

Meanwhile, a different state performed the initial use by firing squad in the US since 2010, deploying this approach for three of its five executions this year. Accounts suggested that in one case, imprecise aim may have prolonged suffering for the condemned.

A Changed Judicial Landscape

The increase in death sentences carried out is also connected to the posture of the US Supreme Court. The majority-conservative bench rejected all applications to halt an execution in 2025, a notable demonstration of judicial disengagement.

This represents a shift from the court's traditional function as a final avenue for legal challenges based on claims of innocence, rights-based arguments, or allegations of cruel punishment. "The system now functions without a safety net," noted a law professor. "The judiciary are supposed to serve as a final check, but that safeguard has been eviscerated."