Is President Trump's rhetoric to blame for a surge in U.S. death row executions?

WBUR | By Here & Now Newsroom

Published December 5, 2025 at 11:52 AM EST

So far this year, 44 executions have been carried out in the United States — more than any year since 2012.

Here & Now‘s Scott Tong speaks with historian Theo Zenou, who says President Trump’s obsession with the death penalty is behind the surge.

This article was originally published on WBUR.org.