Trump Wants to Reopen Alcatraz: 10 Wild Facts About the Prison

President Donald Trump has announced a controversial new directive: the reopening of Alcatraz, the notorious island prison off the coast of San Francisco.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump declared his intent to house “America’s most ruthless and violent offenders” in a modernised and expanded version of the former federal prison.

Describing current repeat offenders as “the dregs of society,” Trump vowed to revive Alcatraz as a hardline symbol of “Law, Order, and JUSTICE.”

But while Alcatraz has long been shut, its legacy and mysteries remain alive and well. Here are 10 wild facts you probably didn’t know about “The Rock.”

Al Capone Did Time on the Rock

One of America’s most infamous mobsters, Al Capone, was once an inmate at Alcatraz.

He wasn’t alone, Alcatraz housed a rogue’s gallery of notorious criminals, including George “Machine Gun” Kelly and Robert Stroud, the so-called “Birdman of Alcatraz.”

Capone Played Banjo in the Prison Band

While behind bars, Capone joined the prison’s official band, reportedly playing the banjo during rehearsals held in the Alcatraz showers.

Good behaviour earned inmates small perks like this, offering a rare glimpse of humanity inside the bleak facility.

Silence Was Mandatory in the Early Days

During the 1930s, Alcatraz enforced a strict “no talking” rule outside designated times. Inmates who broke this silence faced harsh punishments.

This policy was eventually scrapped for being too extreme, even by Alcatraz standards.

Inmates Were Paid Pennies for Prison Jobs

Prisoners weren’t idle. They earned between 5 and 12 cents an hour for work like laundering uniforms, cleaning, and maintaining the docks.

It wasn’t much, but it gave inmates purpose and structure in an otherwise grim environment.

Each Inmate Had Their Own Tiny Cell

Unlike most prisons, Alcatraz gave each inmate a private cell.

These measured just 5 by 9 feet and were furnished with only the basics: a cot, a sink, and a toilet.

It was cramped, but it allowed for a degree of solitude in a high-stress environment.

The Food Was Surprisingly Decent

Despite its reputation, Alcatraz was known for serving some of the best meals in the federal prison system.

Inmates received full breakfasts, coffee, cereal, and fruit and hearty lunches and dinners with meat, vegetables, and hot tea.

Hot Showers Were Part of the Plan

Prisoners were given hot showers, a rare luxury in federal prisons at the time. But this wasn’t just for comfort.

Authorities believed that the warm water would make inmates less likely to brave the icy bay in an escape attempt.

36 Men Tried to Escape the “Escape-Proof” Prison

Over the years, 36 inmates attempted to flee Alcatraz. Most were caught, killed, or drowned in the treacherous waters surrounding the island.

Still, the myth of Alcatraz’s “inescapability” was put to the test time and again.

5 Escapees Were Never Found

The most famous breakout occurred in 1962 when Frank Morris and the Anglin brothers vanished after crawling through vents and slipping into the bay on a makeshift raft.

Authorities presumed they drowned, but no bodies were ever recovered.

Alcatraz Closed in 1963 But Not Because of the Escape

Although it shut its doors just a year after the daring escape, the closure wasn’t officially linked to the incident.

Instead, the prison was deemed too costly to maintain.

Today, it’s a popular tourist site, but if Trump gets his way, it may soon return to its roots.