Donald Trump rejects plan to livestream Nidal Hasan execution

President Donald Trump announced on Thursday that the execution of Fort Hood shooter Nidal Hasan will not be broadcast online, reversing a proposal previously put forward by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.

Writing on Truth Social, Trump stated that while showing the capital punishment to the public might serve as a warning against terrorism, many people would prefer not to watch someone die via a video broadcast or screen. Trump affirmed that the execution by firing squad will proceed as scheduled on Dec. 3, but confirmed it will not be streamed. Relatives of the victims will be allowed to attend and observe in person.

Hasan, a former Army major and psychiatrist, was convicted and condemned to death in 2013 for the 2009 mass shooting at the Fort Hood base in Texas, where 13 people were murdered and 32 others were wounded.

The decision to cancel the public broadcast comes after bipartisan criticism of Hegseth's initial proposal. The defense secretary had asserted the previous week that Hasan would face a military firing squad and that the public would be permitted to view the event. Opponents argued that a broadcast could fulfill Hasan's aspirations for martyrdom, while others warned it conflicted with national principles. House Speaker Mike Johnson expressed alarm that footage of the event might serve as an extremist recruitment mechanism. Vice President JD Vance had also publicly questioned the likelihood of a broadcast, noting he would not tune in himself.

According to government officials cited by NBC News, Hegseth's initial declaration caught military leaders and senior White House staff off guard. While Trump was reportedly open to the concept at first, he reconsidered after learning further details, including the fact that Hasan is paralyzed.

Hegseth had also caught Pentagon planners by surprise by advocating for a firing squad at Fort Hood. Military authorities had spent months preparing for a lethal injection at the federal correctional complex in Terre Haute, Indiana, and later considered Fort Leavenworth after firing-squad discussions began.

The scheduled execution marks an exceedingly rare military proceeding. The American armed forces have not carried out any capital sentence since 1961, when an Army private was hanged. The last time the U.S. military conducted an execution using a firing squad was in 1945, when a soldier was put to death for desertion during World War II.