Law and order? Why Trump thinks Alcatraz deserves a comeback
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When it comes to headline-grabbing decisions, President Donald Trump has always had a flair for the dramatic.
But his recent announcement to reopen the infamous Alcatraz prison has left Americans scratching their heads—and talking. Was it a matter of public safety? A response to rising crime? Or, as Trump himself hinted, was Hollywood partly to blame?
Let’s dive into the wild story behind this controversial move, the myths and legends of Alcatraz, and what it could mean for the future of American justice.
The Announcement That Shocked the Nation
In a move that seemed straight out of a blockbuster movie, Trump took to social media to declare his intention to bring Alcatraz back to life—not as a museum, but as a high-security prison for the country’s most “ruthless” offenders.
When asked to elaborate on his surprising plan to reopen Alcatraz as a prison for "ruthless" and violent offenders, President Donald Trump appeared to have movies on his mind.
In response to questions just hours after the announcement, Trump referenced the film industry before framing the move as a statement on "law and order."
"Alcatraz represents something very strong, very powerful, in terms of law and order. Our country needs law and order. Alcatraz is, I would say, the ultimate right? Alcatraz, Sing Sing, and Alcatraz–the movies," he said.
Hollywood’s Influence: Fact or Fiction?
Both prisons have a strong presence in the national imagination, and Trump may have been alluding to the Clint Eastwood film Escape from Alcatraz.
"It's right now a museum, believe it or not. A lot of people go there. It housed the most violent criminals in the world, and nobody ever escaped. One person almost got there. But they, as you know the story, they found his clothing rather badly ripped up. And it was a lot of shark bites – a lot of problems," he said.
It remained unclear which specific escape attempt he was referencing.
The Real History of Alcatraz: Myths, Escapes, and Shark Tales
The most well-known escape attempt from Alcatraz was made by Frank Lee Morris and the Anglin brothers in 1962. They managed to leave the island by crafting a raft out of stolen raincoats and placing dummy heads in their beds to fool guards.
None of the three were ever found, and they are presumed to have died during the attempt.
Trump's remarks suggested that the symbolism of Alcatraz played a bigger role in his decision than financial considerations.
He mentioned the island’s popularity as a tourist destination, and local officials noted that the museum on the national park site draws 1.6 million visitors annually and generates $60 million in revenue.
Source: HISTORY / Youtube.
"Nobody's ever escaped from Alcatraz and just represented something strong having to do with law and order. We need law and order in this country, and so we're going to look at it. Some of the people up here are going to be working very hard on that, and we had a little conversation. I think it's going to be very interesting. We'll see if we can bring it back in large form," Trump said.
"It's a big hulk that's sitting there rusting and rotting very you look at it ... But it sort of represents something that's both horrible and beautiful, strong and miserable, weak. It's got a lot of it's got a lot of qualities that are interesting."
Trump has long expressed a fascination with sharks. During his campaign, he occasionally talked about electric batteries and even said he’d choose electrocution over a shark attack. In 2015, he nearly starred in Sharknado 3.
His Alcatraz announcement came shortly after a federal judge—whom Trump appointed—ruled that his administration’s use of the Alien Enemies Act to detain alleged Venezuelan gang members in a notorious El Salvador prison was "unlawful."
Trump continues to face scrutiny over whether such deportations infringe on individuals’ Due Process rights.
Although Trump referenced a supposed shark-bitten escapee, the official Alcatraz history page lists 14 known escape attempts—none involving such an account.
Source: LiveNOW from FOX / Youtube.
In fact, it clarifies that the idea of shark-infested waters is a myth: "One of the many myths about Alcatraz is that it was impossible to survive a swim from the island to the mainland because of sharks. In fact, there are no ‘man-eating’ sharks in San Francisco Bay, only small bottom-feeding sharks. The main obstacles were the cold temperatures (averaging 50–55 degrees Fahrenheit), the strong currents, and the distance to shore (at least 1-1/4 miles)."
When asked why he was so fixated on reopening the infamous facility, Trump quickly shifted the conversation to Hollywood.
"I guess I was supposed to be a movie maker," he said, after previously announcing plans to impose a 100 percent tariff on films "produced in foreign lands."
Read next: Trump teases the possibility of another political decision–"I'm not done yet."
What do you think about Trump’s plan to reopen Alcatraz? Have you ever visited the island, or do you have memories of the movies that made it famous? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
But his recent announcement to reopen the infamous Alcatraz prison has left Americans scratching their heads—and talking. Was it a matter of public safety? A response to rising crime? Or, as Trump himself hinted, was Hollywood partly to blame?
Let’s dive into the wild story behind this controversial move, the myths and legends of Alcatraz, and what it could mean for the future of American justice.
The Announcement That Shocked the Nation
In a move that seemed straight out of a blockbuster movie, Trump took to social media to declare his intention to bring Alcatraz back to life—not as a museum, but as a high-security prison for the country’s most “ruthless” offenders.
When asked to elaborate on his surprising plan to reopen Alcatraz as a prison for "ruthless" and violent offenders, President Donald Trump appeared to have movies on his mind.
In response to questions just hours after the announcement, Trump referenced the film industry before framing the move as a statement on "law and order."
"Alcatraz represents something very strong, very powerful, in terms of law and order. Our country needs law and order. Alcatraz is, I would say, the ultimate right? Alcatraz, Sing Sing, and Alcatraz–the movies," he said.
President Donald Trump has announced a plan to reopen the notorious Alcatraz prison to house “ruthless” and violent offenders, saying it stands for “law and order”. Image source: Aldric RIVAT / Unsplash.
Hollywood’s Influence: Fact or Fiction?
Both prisons have a strong presence in the national imagination, and Trump may have been alluding to the Clint Eastwood film Escape from Alcatraz.
"It's right now a museum, believe it or not. A lot of people go there. It housed the most violent criminals in the world, and nobody ever escaped. One person almost got there. But they, as you know the story, they found his clothing rather badly ripped up. And it was a lot of shark bites – a lot of problems," he said.
It remained unclear which specific escape attempt he was referencing.
The Real History of Alcatraz: Myths, Escapes, and Shark Tales
The most well-known escape attempt from Alcatraz was made by Frank Lee Morris and the Anglin brothers in 1962. They managed to leave the island by crafting a raft out of stolen raincoats and placing dummy heads in their beds to fool guards.
None of the three were ever found, and they are presumed to have died during the attempt.
Trump's remarks suggested that the symbolism of Alcatraz played a bigger role in his decision than financial considerations.
He mentioned the island’s popularity as a tourist destination, and local officials noted that the museum on the national park site draws 1.6 million visitors annually and generates $60 million in revenue.
Source: HISTORY / Youtube.
"Nobody's ever escaped from Alcatraz and just represented something strong having to do with law and order. We need law and order in this country, and so we're going to look at it. Some of the people up here are going to be working very hard on that, and we had a little conversation. I think it's going to be very interesting. We'll see if we can bring it back in large form," Trump said.
"It's a big hulk that's sitting there rusting and rotting very you look at it ... But it sort of represents something that's both horrible and beautiful, strong and miserable, weak. It's got a lot of it's got a lot of qualities that are interesting."
Trump has long expressed a fascination with sharks. During his campaign, he occasionally talked about electric batteries and even said he’d choose electrocution over a shark attack. In 2015, he nearly starred in Sharknado 3.
His Alcatraz announcement came shortly after a federal judge—whom Trump appointed—ruled that his administration’s use of the Alien Enemies Act to detain alleged Venezuelan gang members in a notorious El Salvador prison was "unlawful."
Trump continues to face scrutiny over whether such deportations infringe on individuals’ Due Process rights.
Although Trump referenced a supposed shark-bitten escapee, the official Alcatraz history page lists 14 known escape attempts—none involving such an account.
Source: LiveNOW from FOX / Youtube.
In fact, it clarifies that the idea of shark-infested waters is a myth: "One of the many myths about Alcatraz is that it was impossible to survive a swim from the island to the mainland because of sharks. In fact, there are no ‘man-eating’ sharks in San Francisco Bay, only small bottom-feeding sharks. The main obstacles were the cold temperatures (averaging 50–55 degrees Fahrenheit), the strong currents, and the distance to shore (at least 1-1/4 miles)."
When asked why he was so fixated on reopening the infamous facility, Trump quickly shifted the conversation to Hollywood.
"I guess I was supposed to be a movie maker," he said, after previously announcing plans to impose a 100 percent tariff on films "produced in foreign lands."
Read next: Trump teases the possibility of another political decision–"I'm not done yet."
What do you think about Trump’s plan to reopen Alcatraz? Have you ever visited the island, or do you have memories of the movies that made it famous? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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