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Orgo-Life the new way to the future Advertising by AdpathwayAt a Rose Garden event with national fire and police organizations, President Donald Trump directed Attorney General Todd Blanche to pursue capital punishment for anyone convicted of killing a firefighter
October 15, 2026 03:52 PM •
Steve Hirsch, chairman of the National Volunteer Fire Council, right, presents President Donald Trump with a helmet with Trump’s name on it, in the Rose Garden of the White House during an event for first responders, Thursday, Oct. 15, 2026, in Washington.
Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump is calling for the death penalty for anyone who kills a firefighter.
Trump told a gathering of law enforcement officers and firefighters in the White House Rose Garden on Oct. 15 that he directed Attorney General Todd Blanche to pursue the death penalty for anyone convicted of killing a member of their ranks, USA Today reported.
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The event was attended by members of the International Association of Fire Fighters, National Volunteer Fire Council, National Sheriffs’ Association, National Association of Police Organizations, International Association of Chiefs of Police and other law enforcement groups.
Trump said his goal was to stop firefighters from being shot at while climbing ladders to fight fires in rough neighborhoods.
“They’re shot at going up ladders,” Trump said. “They get shot up in some neighborhoods. You ought to blow up the damn place.”
Trump told Blanche the punishment would deter further violence, predicting that shootings would stop quickly as a result.
Steve Hirsch, chairman of the National Volunteer Fire Council, which represents 750,000 firefighters, presented Trump with a helmet and offered a blessing for his protection.
Trump responded that the helmet could have been useful during the 2024 assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania, where he was shot in the ear.
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Bill Carey is the associate editor for FireRescue1.com and EMS1.com. A former Maryland volunteer firefighter, sergeant, and lieutenant, Bill has written for several fire service publications and platforms. His work on firefighter behavioral health garnered a 2014 Neal Award nomination. His ongoing research and writings about line-of-duty death data is frequently cited in articles, presentations, and trainings. Have a news tip? He can be reached at [email protected].
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