Pam Bondi visits Alcatraz with Doug Burgum as Trump eyes to reopen island prison for 'violent offenders'

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA: Attorney General Pam Bondi joined Interior Secretary Doug Burgum to visit Alcatraz as a part of President Donald Trump’s long hyped plan to rebuild and reopen the infamous island prison, which has been closed for over 60 years.

Bondi and Burgum conducted the visit on Thursday, June 17, to evaluate the potential for reopening the shuttered federal prison as a high-security detention facility.

During a press briefing, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed that Bondi and Burgum visited the infamous former prison in California's San Francisco Bay at Trump’s direction.

"This was an idea of the president. He spoke about it in May and directed his administration to review a reopening plan for Alcatraz if it is possible,” she stated.

Pam Bondi and Doug Burgum inspect Alcatraz’s crumbling infrastructure

During the visit, Bondi and Burgum visited key areas of the infamous prison, including restricted zones and main cell blocks typically off-limits to the public, and spent several hours inspecting the deteriorating infrastructure and evaluating the island’s potential for future federal operations.

They also held meetings with National Park Service (NPS) officials and instructed staff to begin working on a preliminary plan to rehabilitate the complex.

Bondi and Burgum limited press access on their inspection, inviting only Fox News correspondent David Spunt along for the visit.

Reporting from the island, Spunt revealed that "So many people remember Al Capone, but this isn’t about the past. It’s about what Alcatraz could be again.”

"They believe, along with their boss, the president, that this may be the symbol of law and order this administration is looking for,” he added.

Bondi also spoke highly of the ‘terrific facility,” but maintained that “It needs a lot of work.” She told Fox News that the shuttered prison could potentially house a range of inmates, including “violent criminals, federal predators, and illegal aliens.”

She also emphasized the symbolic value of its isolation and reputation for strict control. Meanwhile, Burgum stated that the objective of the visit was to assess whether restoring Alcatraz to its original function as a federal prison is a viable option.

"It’s a federal property. Its original use was a prison. We’re here to take a look at whether it can serve that purpose again," he said.

The White House didn’t confirm the duo’s visit until they shared images from the facility on social media.

Burgum shared images on X capturing his journey to the island by boat and scenes from inside the prison, writing “Spent the day on Alcatraz Island, a @NatlParkService site, to start the work to renovate and reopen the site to house the most dangerous criminals and illegals. This administration is restoring safety, justice, and order to our streets. @Interior & @TheJusticeDept are following a directive by @POTUS to help lead that mission.”

Meanwhile, Bondi simply tweeted, “A great morning at Alcatraz with @SecretaryBurgum. Under President Trump, we are making America Safe Again.”

Donald Trump announces plan to reopen Alcatraz to house ‘most ruthless offenders’

In May, earlier this year, Trump first announced his plan to reopen and expand Alcatraz. “For too long, America has been plagued by vicious, violent, and repeat Criminal Offenders, the dregs of society, who will never contribute anything other than Misery and Suffering,” he wrote in a Truth Social post.

“That is why, today, I am directing the Bureau of Prisons, together with the Department of Justice, FBI, and Homeland Security, to reopen a substantially enlarged and rebuilt ALCATRAZ, to house America’s most ruthless and violent Offenders,” he added.

Alcatraz, which once housed notorious inmates Al Capone, George "Machine Gun" Kelly, Robert Stroud (the "Birdman of Alcatraz"), and James "Whitey" Bulger, operated as a federal prison from 1934 to 1963, originally operating as a military prison in the 1850s.

The name of the infamous prison originates from "Alcatraces," a term used by Spanish explorer Juan Manuel de Ayala during his 1775 expedition of San Francisco Bay.

As a federal prison, Alcatraz had a maximum capacity of 336 inmates and housed more than 150 staff members along with their families.

After its closure in 1963 due to high costs and decaying infrastructure, the prison turned into a tourist attraction, generating around $60 million annually.

Pam Bondi’s visit to Alcatraz divides Internet

Pam Bondi and Doug Burgum’s visit to Alcatraz sparked chatter online, with many users hailing the plan of reopening the infamous prison.

“The remodeling is looking fantastic; thanks for all the hard work. team Red,” one user said.

“Love seeing strong leadership focus on safety. Good to know priorities are back where they belong,” another user praised.

“Awesome to hear. Keeping our tax dollars right here at home where they belong! Just think of all the great things we can do when we keep em right here in America. US tax dollars for the enrichment of the US” a user commented.

“I'll support reopening Alcatraz as a working prison when we commit to shipping this entire administration there,” another one wrote.

However, there were many internet users who vehemently denounced the inspection visit. “This is the prime example of waste, fraud, and abuse. It will cost an inordinate amount of money to reopen this. There’s a reason it has been closed for over 60 years. High operating costs, and infrastructure deterioration is why it is no longer operational. This is just a deflection, it’s pure stupidity,” one user schooled.

“I’m a 3 X Trump voter and this is the dumbest idea! To retrofit an old prison? And do we now need water around all prisons to make them secure? We gonna spend hundreds of billions to put moats around them all??” another one wrote.

“No way that place can be saved. Would need to be leveled and rebuilt at an enormous cost,” another one said.

“I recently took the Alcatraz tour and the place is in ruins. It boggles my mind that the Trump administration would be so monumentally stupid to think that the place could be repaired and reopened,” a person slammed.

This article contains remarks made on the internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.