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

The number of executions in the US has dramatically increased in 2025, hitting a rate not seen in since 2009. This surge is linked to a concerted push to revive judicial killings, coupled with a significant change in the stance of the US Supreme Court toward eleventh-hour pleas.

A Grim Tally: 47 Executions in a Single Year

Exactly 47 individuals—all of whom were male—were put to death by states that utilize the death penalty in 2025. This figure is nearly double the total from the previous year, constituting the highest annual total for executions in the United States since 2009.

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

An International Exception

This pronounced rise further isolates the US from most other developed nations, very few of which continue the practice. In recent years, only a handful of Asian nations have carried out capital punishment among similarly developed states.

Contradictory Trends

The resurgence of executions clashes directly with broader patterns and modern public opinion. For years, the use of the death penalty had been in a steady decrease. At the same time, surveys indicate approval of capital punishment for those convicted of murder has fallen to a 50-year low, with 52% of respondents in favor. A majority of adults under the age of 55 now are against it.

Executive Action Sets the Tone

On his first day back in office, the sitting President issued an presidential directive titled "Restoring the Death Penalty." This order aimed to ensure that statutes permitting capital punishment were "respected and faithfully implemented," signaling a major shift from the previous presidency.

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

State-Level Frenzy

The national initiative was echoed and intensified at the level of individual states. Florida became a notable outlier, conducting 19 executions in 2025—a staggering increase from just one the previous year. This shattered the state's prior annual record.

Alongside Alabama, South Carolina, and Texas, these four states were responsible for almost 75% of all executions this year. Overall, a dozen states employed their execution facilities, up from nine states in 2024.

Evolving Methods

As activity increased, some states turned to more controversial techniques. One state ended a long period without executions and followed another state's lead to employ nitrogen gas as an execution method. Observers reported the condemned individual visibly shook for several minutes during the procedure.

Meanwhile, South Carolina performed the initial use by firing squad in the US since 2010, using this method for three of its total executions this year. Reports suggested that in an instance, imprecise aim may have prolonged suffering for the condemned.

A Changed Judicial Landscape

The surge in death sentences carried out is also linked to the posture of the nation's highest court. The court's conservative majority denied every request to stay 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, rights-based arguments, or charges of excessive cruelty. "The system now functions lacking a crucial backup," noted a law professor. "The judiciary are meant to act as a final check, but that stop gap has been removed."