<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/donald-trump" rel="" target="" title="Donald Trump"><span>Donald Trump</span></a><span> is seeking more than $A220 million to turn </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/how-alcatraz-became-americas-most-notorious-prison/a6cd8baf-a44d-48e3-9e7f-5b6f9f133abd" rel="" target="" title="Alcatraz back into a functioning federal prison"><span>Alcatraz back into a functioning federal prison</span></a><span>.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/white-house" rel="" target="" title="White House"><span>White House</span></a><span> included its request in a budget proposal released overnight.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The request was made as part of a billion-dollar investment into repairing "crumbling detention facilities" and paying correctional officers more money.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/donald-trump-ballroom-construction-halted-white-house-east-wing-usa-politics-news/3f85b9a7-b9d3-4d44-8af3-380a25eea3a5" target="" title="Judge orders a halt to Trump's ballroom"><strong><span>Judge orders a halt to Trump's ballroom</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Within this level, the Budget also affirms the President's commitment to rebuild Alcatraz as a state-of-the-art secure prison facility, providing $US152 million ($A220 million) to cover the first year of project costs," the proposal states.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/today-in-history-december-16-what-happened-on-this-day-alcatraz-escape/7c4c1050-78ea-4543-be27-f01f096cc9b2" rel="" target="" title="Alcatraz closed as a federal prison"><span>Alcatraz closed as a federal prison</span></a><span> in 1963 because of its high operating costs.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>As an island, everything had to be shipped in to the prison by boat, including fresh water.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/world/alcatraz-reopening-donald-trump-budget-proposal-usa-politics-news/528a2080-ee5d-4dda-9e4b-b39749bf17f7" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Exposure to the salty air had caused tremendous damage to the facilities in the time it was open.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The prison cost more than triple an equivalent facility in Atlanta cost to operate per inmate.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Now it is </span><a href="https://travel.nine.com.au/" rel="" target="" title="one of the most popular tourism attractions"><span>one of the most popular tourism attractions</span></a><span> in </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/san-francisco" rel="" target="" title="San Francisco"><span>San Francisco</span></a><span>, with more than a million visitors each year.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/donald-trump-airport-renamed-after-president-palm-beach-florida-usa-news/48ef41f6-da44-4ced-b156-21b5b6fb2cb8" target="" title=""><strong><span>Major airport to be renamed for Donald Trump</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The proposal has drawn the ire of </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/san-francisco" rel="" target="" title="San Francisco"><span>San Francisco</span></a><span> locals, including state senator Scott Wiener.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Trump is once again proposing to destroy Alcatraz — a globally popular tourist attraction — by wasting billions to turn it into some sort of prison gulag," Wiener said. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"It's an absurd, idiotic idea, a complete waste of taxpayer money, and yet another sign of Trump's dementia."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The president </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/donald-trump-to-reopen-alcatraz-prison/dc6f5100-fa40-4b43-90f2-7d9690488312" rel="" target="" title="first proposed reopening Alcatraz"><span>first proposed reopening Alcatraz</span></a><span> in a Truth Social post in May last year.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/donald-trump-supreme-court-storms-out-birthright-citizenship-case-hearing-usa-news/08eaaded-0c31-4a88-b0ac-51736aadc8c0"><strong><span>Donald Trump storms out of Supreme Court as he faces loss</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"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," he wrote.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"That's the way it's supposed to be.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"That is why, today, I am directing the Bureau of Prisons, together with the Department of Justice, FBI, and Homeland Security, to reopen a substantially enlarged and rebuilt ALCATRAZ, to house America's most ruthless and violent Offenders."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The </span><em><span>Hollywood Reporter</span></em><span> wryly noted his post came two hours after the movie </span><em><span>Escape From Alcatraz</span></em><span> aired on TV in Palm Beach when Trump was at his </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/donald-trump-florida-election-results-mar-a-lago-emily-gregory-us-politics-news/70f84489-55ba-4d49-a33f-0c8937c953b9" rel="" target="" title="Mar-a-Lago country club"><span>Mar-a-Lago country club</span></a><span>.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Trump's budget proposal also included a 50 per cent increase in defence spending, taking it to more than $A2.1 trillion.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Every dollar we spend on Trump's wars is a dollar that could go toward more affordable healthcare, childcare, housing and more," top Democratic senator Chris Van Hollen said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span> "We cannot let this pass."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/usa-fighter-jet-crashes-iran-crew-rescued-middle-east-latest-news/f1c5de12-f34a-4fcb-84de-c483127c234d"><strong><span>Crew member missing after US fighter plane crashes over Iran</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><em><span>NEVER MISS A STORY:</span></em></strong><span> </span><strong><em><span>Get your breaking news and exclusive stories first by following us across all platforms.</span></em></strong></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><ul><li><strong><em><span>Download the 9NEWS App here via</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://apps.apple.com/au/app/9news/id1010533727" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>Apple</span></em></strong></a><span> </span><strong><em><span>and</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=nineNewsAlerts.nine.com&amp;hl=en_AU&amp;pli=1" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>Google Play</span></em></strong></a></li><li><strong><em><span>Make 9News your preferred source on Google by</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://9.nine.com.au/8x987w" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>ticking this box here</span></em></strong></a></li><li><strong><em><span>Sign up to</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://login.nine.com.au/edm?client_id=nineatnine" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>our breaking newsletter here</span></em></strong></a></li></ul></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span></span></div></div>