American Executions Surged in 2025 to Peak in Over a Decade and a Half.

The number of state-sanctioned killings 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 judicial killings, combined with a notable shift in the stance of the US Supreme Court toward last-minute appeals.

A Grim Tally: Nearly 50 Deaths in a Single Year

A total of 47 individuals—all of whom were male—were put to death by states that utilize the death penalty this year. This number is nearly double the count from the previous year, constituting the highest annual total for executions in the United States in 16 years.

"The evidence shows that the death penalty in 2025 is growing less popular with the public even as elected officials carry out death sentences in search of waning political benefits."

A Global Outlier

This sharp increase further isolates the US from most other developed nations, almost none of which continue the practice. Currently, only a handful of Asian nations have conducted executions among similarly developed states.

Contradictory Trends

The resurgence of executions stands in stark contrast with long-term trends and modern public opinion. For years, the use of the death penalty had been in a steady decrease. Meanwhile, polling indicate approval of capital punishment for murder convictions has reached a half-century low, with 52% of respondents in favor. A majority of citizens under the age of 55 now oppose it.

Presidential Influence

On his first day back in office, the sitting President issued an executive order titled "Restoring the Death Penalty." This order sought to ensure that laws authorizing 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—you use violence and cruelty to solve social problems," stated a well-known anti-death penalty advocate.

A Surge in State Executions

The national initiative was mirrored and amplified at the state level. The state of Florida emerged as a particular outlier, conducting 19 executions in 2025—a dramatic increase from just one the previous year. This shattered the state's prior annual record.

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

Evolving Methods

As activity increased, some states adopted increasingly extreme methods. One state ended a long period without executions and became the second state to employ nitrogen hypoxia as an execution method. Witnesses reported the condemned individual visibly shook for multiple minutes during the process.

Meanwhile, a different state carried out the first execution by firing squad in the US since 2010, using this method for three of its five executions this year. Reports suggested that in an instance, faulty targeting may have caused extended agony for the condemned.

The Supreme Court's Role

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 rare display of reluctance to intervene.

This marks a change from the court's traditional function as a final avenue for appeals based on innocence claims, constitutional arguments, or allegations of cruel punishment. "The system now functions lacking a crucial backup," noted a legal scholar. "The judiciary are supposed to serve as a backstop, but that safeguard has been eviscerated."