Washington: US President Donald Trump on Thursday said he wanted the death penalty extended to people who murder firefighters in the line of duty, asking his Attorney General to examine whether such punishment could be imposed.
Speaking at a White House gathering honouring first responders, Trump said firefighters faced extraordinary dangers, including attacks while trying to rescue people from burning buildings.
He raised the proposal while discussing his administration’s approach to crimes against law enforcement personnel.
“And we’re bringing the death penalty back for anybody that kills a police officer, by the way, or anybody in law enforcement,” Trump said.
Later in his remarks, the President said he wanted firefighters included in the same approach.
He asked Attorney General Todd Blanche whether the proposed punishment could be extended to cases involving firefighters who were deliberately killed while performing their duties.
Trump argued that tougher punishment would discourage attacks on emergency personnel.
“That’s a big deal,” he said, expressing confidence that the threat of severe penalties would reduce such incidents.
The President described situations in which firefighters attempting to extinguish fires were shot at while climbing ladders.
He said such attacks received insufficient public attention despite the risks firefighters routinely faced.
The remarks came during a ceremony attended by representatives of police organisations, firefighters, Border Patrol personnel and other emergency services.
Trump praised their work and said his administration had sought to strengthen federal support for those responding to emergencies.
“From day one, my administration has worked tirelessly to give our first responders the resources, support, and legal protection you so richly deserve,” he said.
The President also highlighted financial assistance for emergency services.
He said his administration had delivered $648 million to more than 1,600 fire departments and first responders during the previous month.
According to Trump, the funding was intended to provide personnel, equipment and operational support to organisations responsible for protecting communities.
He also cited changes in federal taxation that he said benefited police officers, firefighters and other emergency personnel working overtime.
Trump referred to the Honoring Our Fallen Heroes Act, saying it provided federal recognition and benefits to families of firefighters who died from cancers contracted through their work.
He said the measure recognised qualifying deaths as occurring in the line of duty, allowing surviving families to receive federal support.
The President used the occasion to praise police and border enforcement personnel, crediting them with what he described as substantial improvements in public safety.
He claimed violent crime had recorded its largest decline and that the murder rate had fallen to its lowest level in 125 years. Those figures were not independently substantiated in the supplied remarks.
Representatives of first responder organisations also addressed the gathering.
A National Border Patrol Council representative praised the administration’s support for law enforcement and border security.
The event concluded with a representative of the National Volunteer Fire Council presenting Trump with a firefighter’s helmet in recognition of his support for emergency personnel.
In the United States, capital punishment is governed by federal and state laws, with different jurisdictions maintaining different rules on offences eligible for the death penalty. Any expansion would have to comply with applicable statutes and constitutional requirements.
(IANS)
