Located 2km off the coast of San Francisco, Alcatraz held several well-known criminals, including Al Capone

US president orders reopening of Alcatraz prison

· RTE.ie

US President Donald Trump has said he had directed officials to rebuild and reopen Alcatraz prison, the notorious federal jail based on a small island in California that was shut six decades ago.

The jail will house "America's most ruthless and violent offenders," Mr Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform, adding that the institution will be "substantially enlarged."

Alcatraz closed in 1963 due to high operating costs after being open for just 29 years, according to the US Bureau of Prisons, and now serves as a tourist attraction.

Located 2km off the coast of San Francisco and with a capacity of just 336 prisoners, it held several well-known criminals, including Prohibition-era mob boss Al Capone, and saw many fantastical escape attempts by inmates.

Mr Trump has made cracking down on crimes a key element of his second term in the White House.

From the mid 1930s until the mid 1960s, Alcatraz was the US's premier maximum-security prison

"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. That's the way it's supposed to be," Mr Trump wrote.

"No longer will we tolerate these Serial Offenders who spread filth, bloodshed, and mayhem on our streets," he added.

The US president told reporters as he returned to the White House from Florida, that reopening the prison was "Just an idea I've had" and decided to act on.

"It's a symbol of law and order," he said.

Alcatraz was billed as the US's most secure prison given the island location, frigid waters and strong currents.

No successful escapes were ever officially recorded from Alcatraz, though five prisoners are listed as "missing and presumed drowned."

Alcatraz was closed because it was too expensive to continue operating, according to the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) website, in large part due to its island location.

It was nearly three times more costly to operate than any other federal prison, the BOP website said.

Nancy Pelosi, former House speaker and Democratic politician from California, downplayed the Republican president's plan.

"Alcatraz closed as a federal penitentiary more than 60 years ago. It is now a very popular national park and major tourist attraction. The President’s proposal is not a serious one," she said in a post on X.