‘Medieval’ and ‘rather disturbing’: US plan to livestream execution elicits global condemnation

The United States is encountering widespread international and domestic backlash following an announcement by the Pentagon that the scheduled execution of mass shooter Nidal Malik Hasan will be broadcast to the public via livestream on Dec. 3.

Hasan, a former Army psychiatrist, was condemned to death in 2013 after being convicted of murdering 13 people and attempting to kill 32 others in a 2009 shooting spree at a military facility in Fort Hood, Texas. He was paralyzed after being shot by a police officer during his apprehension and uses a wheelchair.

Under American military statutes, firing squad executions require presidential authorization. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth recommended the measure, which was approved by President Donald Trump. Hegseth defended the public broadcast during an interview with Real America's Voice, stating that viewers should witness the severe penalties attached to such crimes.

The prospect of streaming the killing prompted an immediate rebuke from the United Nations office of the high commissioner for human rights, which warned that transmitting the event publicly would constitute a public execution and violate the strict international prohibition against torture.

Reactions within the American political landscape were swift and polarized. Democratic Representative Adam Smith labeled the proposal disturbing, asserting that it cheapens the judicial framework, while Democratic Senator Chris Murphy characterized public capital punishment as medieval. Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton denounced the move as beneath national dignity.

Criticism also emerged from across the aisle. Republican Senator Thom Tillis remarked that while Hasan earned capital punishment, streaming his death was repulsive and reminiscent of authoritarian governments. Vice President JD Vance stated he would not watch the broadcast if it takes place, though he maintained that the public should remain focused on the brutality of the mass murder itself.

International allies also indicated discomfort with the development. Bridget Phillipson, an equalities minister and Labour Party chair in the United Kingdom, said during a BBC Radio 4 interview that she found the concept deeply troubling, even as she acknowledged it remained an internal domestic issue for the U.S.

Religious figures voiced strong moral opposition, with Archbishop Paul Coakley of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops demanding the administration abandon what he called an uncivilized step. Security analysts, including former diplomat Ned Price, warned the broadcast could serve as a dangerous propaganda catalyst that risks turning the killer into a martyr for extremist organizations.

Legal specialists suggest the broadcast could face legal challenges before the scheduled date. Historically, the American military has not used a firing squad since 1945, when Private Eddie Slovik was shot for desertion, and has not carried out an execution of any kind since a hanging in 1961. The federal government has avoided public executions for roughly nine decades, leaving the current initiative without contemporary precedent.