Trump announces £300 million plan to reopen Alcatraz prison which once housed Al Capone

US President has taken to social media to unveil a daring new plan for housing federal inmates, which involves reopening one of the country's most infamous prisons.

On his social media platform TruthSocial, Trump announced on Sunday that he would be instructing the to start taking measures to refurbish and eventually reopen Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary on Alcatraz Island in San Francisco Bay.

"For too long, America has been plagued by vicious, violent, and repeat Offenders, the dregs of society, who will never contribute anything other than Misery and Suffering. When we were a more serious Nation, in times past, we did not hesitate to lock up the most dangerous criminals and keep them far away from anyone they could harm. That's the way it's supposed to be," Trump penned.

"That is why, today," he continued, "I am directing the Bureau of Prisons, together with the , FBI, and Homeland Security, to reopen a substantially enlarged and rebuilt ALCATRAZ, to house America's most ruthless and violent Offenders."

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The prison, which currently houses just 300 inmates, could cost £75 million ($100 million) annually to run and up to £290 million ($375 million) to rebuild and reopen, according to estimates made by a lawyer and a Democratic policy analyst, reports.

What's so special about Alcatraz?

Alcatraz, the infamous island prison known as "The Rock", has been a tourist attraction since its closure in 1963 due to deteriorating infrastructure and high operational costs. However, former President has expressed interest in renovating and reopening the facility, which once housed notorious criminals like Al Capone and George "Machine Gun" Kelly.

Despite the fact that modernising the facility would require significant investment at a time when similar prisons are being closed due to infrastructure issues, Trump seems undeterred. He revealed his idea on Sunday, stating his frustration with "radicalised judges" insisting on due process for those being deported.

He views Alcatraz as a long-standing "symbol of law and order. You know, it's got quite a history." However, following Trump's announcement, experts have suggested that any potential renovation and reopening of the prison would be more about optics than practicality.

Michael Esslinger, an author who has penned five books on , expressed his concerns to NBC News, saying: "You'd be going in and basically removing a national landmark just to set up a prison that literally would be for the optics mostly, because it doesn't make the most sense financially to establish something like that there."

How much will fixing Alcatraz cost?

The financial implications of revamping the notorious island prison are staggering. Previous estimates to renovate the prison before its closure revealed that the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) had projected a $4 million renovation cost back in the early 1960s.

When adjusted for inflation, this figure soars to over $40 million today.

In 1962, BOP Director James Bennett was critical of the investment required for Alcatraz, stating that pouring millions into renovations was not an "economically sound policy," especially when it cost three times more to house an inmate there than in Atlanta.

The exact costs to either refurbish the existing structures or to demolish and build anew on Alcatraz remain uncertain. However, the BOP's newly appointed director, William Marshall III, announced on Monday that he has commissioned an assessment to determine the "next steps" for a potential reopening of the U.S. penitentiary.

Marshall highlighted the site's historical significance in a statement: "USP Alcatraz has a rich history," he said. "We look forward to restoring this powerful symbol of law, order, and justice. We will be actively working with our law enforcement and other federal partners to reinstate this very important mission."

Is there an alternative to reopening Alcatraz

In stark contrast, the new federal in Letcher County, Kentucky, is set to cost a whopping $500 million and will be home to 1,400 inmates.

Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a California Democrat whose district includes the island, questioned the feasibility of reopening the prison after so many years. “It is now a very popular national park and major tourist attraction. The President’s proposal is not a serious one,” she wrote on X.

A spokesperson for the Bureau of Prisons told The Associated Press that the agency “will comply with all Presidential Orders.”