April 4, 2026 - San Francisco – Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi issued the following statement in response to the Trump Administration’s request for $152 million to renovate and reopen Alcatraz as a federal prison:

“The Trump Administration’s budget proposal is absurd on its face and should be rejected outright. Rebuilding Alcatraz into a modern prison is a stupid notion that would be nothing more than a waste of taxpayer dollars and an insult to the intelligence of the American people.

“Alcatraz is a historic museum that belongs to the public, and San Franciscans will not stand for Washington turning one of our most iconic landmarks into a political prop. At a time when communities are demanding real investments in public safety, this Administration is pushing a cartoonish throwback that does nothing to address the challenges facing working families. I will work with my colleagues in the Congress to use every parliamentary and budgetary tactic available to block this lunacy.”


Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum and Attorney General Pam Bondi Visit California’s Alcatraz Island as President Trump Calls for a Review to Explore Reopening the Prison
Credit: DOI

Source: Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi