Washington, October 15, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
US President Donald Trump has asked Attorney General Todd Blanche to examine whether the death penalty could be extended to people who deliberately kill firefighters while they are performing their duties, proposing tougher punishment for attacks on emergency personnel.
Trump raised the issue during a White House ceremony honouring first responders, where he discussed his administration’s approach to crimes against police officers and other 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.
He subsequently asked Blanche whether the same approach could cover firefighters who are deliberately killed while responding to emergencies. Trump argued that the prospect of severe punishment could deter such attacks.
The President described incidents in which firefighters attempting to extinguish blazes were allegedly shot at while climbing ladders, saying the risks they face often receive insufficient public attention.
The ceremony was 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 resources, support and legal protections for first responders.
“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.
Trump also highlighted financial assistance for emergency services, claiming that his administration had provided $648 million to more than 1,600 fire departments and first-responder organisations during the previous month. He said the funding was intended to support personnel, equipment and operations.
He referred to changes in federal taxation that he said benefited police officers, firefighters and other emergency workers receiving overtime pay.
The President also cited the Honoring Our Fallen Heroes Act, saying it recognised qualifying deaths from work-related cancers among firefighters as line-of-duty deaths, enabling surviving families to receive federal assistance.
Trump further praised police and border enforcement personnel and claimed that violent crime and murder rates had fallen significantly. The figures cited in his remarks were not independently substantiated in the supplied account.
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.
Any expansion of capital punishment would depend on applicable federal or state laws and constitutional requirements. Trump’s remarks indicated a request for legal examination rather than an announced change to the law.
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