In a surprising move, two federal officials conducted a tour of the notorious Alcatraz penitentiary in the San Francisco Bay early Thursday morning. This visit is part of the Trump administration's initiative to potentially reopen the infamous island prison, a proposal that has ignited fierce criticism from various quarters. Critics argue that reopening Alcatraz would be more costly than constructing a new prison facility.
U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum were the officials who visited Alcatraz prior to the usual influx of tourists that the now-closed prison attracts. According to reports, the two officials are expected to make an official announcement regarding the tour, which will be broadcast on Fox News. However, the nature of their visit has drawn ire from opponents of the Trump administration, including former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who labeled the initiative as “the Trump Administration’s stupidest initiative yet.”
Pelosi, who represents the district that encompasses Alcatraz and nearby San Francisco, stated, “Make no mistake: this stupidity is a diversionary tactic to draw attention away from this Administration’s cruelest actions yet in their Big, Ugly Law.” She was referring to the recently passed “Big Beautiful Bill,” which she claims detracts from the administration's significant policy failures.
Critics like Pelosi have raised concerns about the financial feasibility of the reopening plan, questioning how the administration could allocate billions for converting and maintaining Alcatraz as a prison while simultaneously contributing trillions to the national debt. President Trump has been advocating for the reopening of Alcatraz for several months, asserting in a social media post that it would symbolize “Law, Order, and JUSTICE” while housing the country’s “most ruthless and violent” offenders.
During their visit, Bondi and Burgum were briefed on the facility’s historical significance and operational challenges. The U.S. Department of the Interior confirmed that the two officials toured the cells that once held notorious criminals like Al Capone and George “Machine Gun” Kelly, as well as Alcatraz’s power station and dock. Originally opened in 1934, Alcatraz was closed in 1963 due to its high operational costs, which were approximately three times greater than other federal prisons, primarily due to its isolated location on a 22-acre island.
For over five decades, Alcatraz has functioned as a popular museum under the management of the National Park Service, attracting around 1.4 million visitors annually and generating an estimated $60 million in revenue each year. Christine Lehnertz, president and CEO of the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy, emphasized the importance of preserving Alcatraz as a historical site rather than reverting it back to a prison. “Protecting Alcatraz means protecting a global site of reflection, where people come to learn and grow,” Lehnertz stated.
The conservancy also highlighted that reopening Alcatraz as a prison would undermine decades of progress and miss the opportunity to use the site as a national park that unites history, nature, and people. For this transition to occur, Congress would need to pass legislation to bypass requirements under the National Environmental Policy Act and the Historic Preservation Act, along with transferring the facility back to the Bureau of Prisons for operational purposes.
Numerous local officials and Democratic representatives have expressed staunch opposition to the idea of reopening Alcatraz as a prison. Rep. John Garamendi (D-Walnut Grove), a former deputy Interior secretary, dismissed the proposal as “plain just stupid,” criticizing the administration for considering transforming a 60-year-old museum into a prison based on a fleeting idea. San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie also voiced his disapproval, stating, “There is no realistic plan for Alcatraz to host anyone other than visitors.”
In her statement, Pelosi warned that efforts to reopen Alcatraz would face significant resistance in Congress. “Should reason not prevail and Republicans bring this absurdity before Congress,” she asserted, “Democrats will use every parliamentary and budgetary tactic available to stop the lunacy.”
