US President Donald Trump announced on Sunday his directive to rebuild and reopen Alcatraz prison, located in San Francisco Bay. The aim is to house the nation's most ruthless and violent offenders.

In a statement on his Truth Social platform, Trump declared, "REBUILD, AND OPEN ALCATRAZ!" He has instructed the Federal Bureau of Prisons, along with the Department of Justice, the Department of Homeland Security, and the FBI, to undertake the project of reopening a substantially enlarged and rebuilt version of the facility.

Trump emphasized the historical approach to dealing with dangerous criminals, stating, "When we were a more serious Nation, in times past, we did not hesitate to lock up the most dangerous criminals, and keep them far away from anyone they could harm."

He added, "We will no longer be held hostage to criminals, thugs, and Judges that are afraid to do their job and allow us to remove criminals, who came into our Country illegally." Trump framed the reopening of Alcatraz as a symbol of law, order, and justice.

Alcatraz, a notorious prison and a popular tourist destination in San Francisco, was originally closed in 1963 after 29 years of operation. The Federal Bureau of Prisons' website indicates that the closure was due to the prison being three times more expensive to operate compared to other prisons.