US Executions Skyrocketed in 2025 to Peak in Over a Decade and a Half.

The number of executions in the US has sharply risen in 2025, hitting a level not seen in 16 years. This surge is linked to a focused campaign to revive judicial killings, coupled with a significant change 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—each one were male—were executed by individual states that utilize the death penalty in 2025. This figure is nearly twice the total from the previous year, marking the highest annual total for capital punishment in the United States since 2009.

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

An International Exception

This pronounced rise further isolates the US from most other developed nations, very few of which continue the practice. Currently, only Japan, Singapore, and Taiwan have carried out executions among peer countries.

Contradictory Trends

The resurgence of state killings stands in stark contrast with long-term trends and current public sentiment. Over the past two decades, the use of the death penalty had been in gradual decline. Meanwhile, polling indicate support for capital punishment for those convicted of murder has reached a half-century low, with 52% 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 sitting President issued an executive order titled "Restoring the Death Penalty." This order aimed to ensure that statutes permitting capital punishment were "upheld and properly enforced," marking a clear change from the prior administration.

"The tone is set, the national dialogue sent down from the top—the idea is to use harsh measures to solve social problems," remarked a well-known activist against executions.

A Surge in State Executions

The national initiative was echoed and amplified at the state level. Florida became a particular outlier, conducting 19 executions in 2025—a dramatic increase from just one the year before. This broke the state's prior annual record.

Together with Alabama, South Carolina, and Texas, these four states were the source of almost three-quarters of all executions this year. Overall, 12 states actively used their execution facilities, up from nine in 2024.

Evolving Methods

As activity increased, some states turned to more controversial methods. One state concluded a 15-year hiatus and followed another state's lead to use nitrogen hypoxia as an execution method. Observers reported the condemned individual convulsed for several minutes during the procedure.

In another development, a different state performed the first execution by firing squad in the US since 2010, using this method for three of its total executions this year. Accounts suggested that in an instance, faulty targeting may have prolonged suffering for the individual.

A Changed Judicial Landscape

The surge in executions is also connected to the posture of the US Supreme Court. The majority-conservative bench rejected all applications to stay an execution in 2025, a rare display of reluctance to intervene.

This represents a shift from the court's traditional function as a last resort for appeals based on claims of innocence, constitutional arguments, or charges of excessive cruelty. "The system now functions without a safety net," noted a legal scholar. "The judiciary are meant to act as a final check, but that stop gap has been removed."