Former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi and North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum visited Alcatraz Island on Thursday morning to advance a controversial proposal to reopen the historic site as a federal penitentiary.
The visit follows former President Donald Trump’s stated intention in May to reinstate the infamous prison. To facilitate the plan, a bill is expected to be introduced in Congress that would end environmental protections for Alcatraz and transfer control from the National Park Service.
The proposal has drawn significant and immediate criticism from political leaders, who have dismissed it as an expensive political stunt. Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi described it as “the stupidest initiative yet,” emphasizing its financial infeasibility. “They closed Alcatraz because of the cost,” Pelosi said. “Now, not only would they have the cost of running it, they have the billions of dollars that it will take to turn it back into a prison.”
Other California leaders echoed the sentiment. Governor Gavin Newsom’s office issued a sharp rebuke, stating, “Pam Bondi will reopen Alcatraz the same day Trump lets her release the Epstein files. So… never.” San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie added, “There’s no realistic plan to make Alcatraz reopen as anything other than the wonderful tourist attraction that it currently is.”
As a major tourist destination, Alcatraz currently generates about $60 million in annual revenue, according to the National Park Service. In contrast, estimates suggest that refurbishing the island and building a new prison would cost at least a quarter of a billion dollars.
Political analyst Phil Matier characterized the visit as a “publicity stunt” intended to bolster a tough-on-crime image. “Make no mistake. This is a photo op… to capture the image of them in San Francisco on Alcatraz, declaring that Donald Trump is tough on crime,” Matier explained. He noted that while actually converting and operating the prison would be immensely expensive, “planning for it and showing drawings and making a statement about it… that’s a lot cheaper, and that’s what we’re seeing right now.”
While officials toured the island, the specific purpose of their visit remains unclear. Reports indicate that media access was highly restricted, with only a Fox News camera crew invited to accompany them.
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