Pentagon Drops Plan to Livestream Fort Hood Shooter’s Execution
President Donald Trump said the Pentagon will not livestream the scheduled firing-squad execution of Nidal Malik Hasan, reversing a plan that drew criticism from Republican and Democratic officials, religious leaders and members of the public. The execution remains scheduled for Dec. 3, according to the Pentagon. Trump said immediate family members of the victims may attend in person if they choose.
Hasan, a former Army psychiatrist, was convicted of killing 13 people and injuring 32 others in a 2009 shooting at Fort Hood, Texas. During his 2013 trial, he said he had acted to prevent soldiers from deploying to Afghanistan. A military judge did not allow him to present that argument as a defence. Hasan was paralyzed after being shot by law enforcement during the attack.
Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth had announced that the execution would be public, and the Pentagon subsequently confirmed plans for a livestream. Hegseth said broadcasting it would show that such acts carry serious consequences. Critics raised concerns that footage of the execution could be used to encourage radicalization. The proposed broadcast also prompted objections from Catholic leaders, who oppose capital punishment.
Vice-President JD Vance said he would not watch a livestream, while urging people not to lose sight of Hasan’s crimes amid debate over the execution. House Speaker Mike Johnson and other Republicans also expressed reservations about broadcasting it. After Trump announced the reversal on social media, Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said the president and Hegseth had discussed the decision and were in agreement.
Trump said a public broadcast might have served as a deterrent, but acknowledged that many people would not want to watch an execution. He has continued to support the use of a firing squad in Hasan’s case. Hasan could seek a delay, although it is unclear whether he will. The last U.S. military execution took place in 1961, when an Army private was hanged.