US President Donald Trump says the Pentagon will no longer livestream the firing squad execution of Fort Hood shooter Nidal Malik Hasan, scrapping a plan that drew criticism from both Republicans and Democrats and a public refusal by Vice President JD Vance to watch.
Trump said on social media on Thursday (US time) that publicly airing the execution "might have been a strong deterrent for the World to witness how America deals with Terrorists and SCUM like Hasan". But, he continued, "any very good and well-meaning people would rather not watch him die, through streaming, or through any other visual device".
"He will die, as scheduled, by firing squad, but this event will not be streamed," Trump wrote. "That said, the execution may be viewed in person by the immediate families of the victims, if they so choose."
The Pentagon has said Hasan's execution is scheduled for December 3. It declined on Thursday to elaborate beyond Trump's statement.
The reversal follows an announcement earlier this month from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth that Hasan's execution would be public, and subsequent Pentagon confirmation that it would be livestreamed. That plan prompted significant blowback from both Republicans and Democrats, with many pointing out that the images could be used to fuel radicalisation. Vice President JD Vance had also said he would not watch.
Hasan was sentenced to death for the 2009 shooting at Fort Hood in Texas. The abandoned proposal drew unusually broad political opposition, including from members of Trump's own party, before the president announced on Thursday that the stream would not go ahead.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- The abandoned plan would have made a US military execution publicly viewable in a way federal capital punishment has not been before, raising questions about deterrence, spectacle and radicalisation.
- The reversal shows that bipartisan opposition, including from within the administration, can force a rapid change in the president's position.
- The execution itself remains scheduled, keeping the federal use of the firing squad in focus.
Background
Hasan was sentenced to death for the 2009 shooting at Fort Hood, Texas. Federal executions in the US have typically been conducted before a small group of designated witnesses, with the public informed only afterward. The plan announced this month by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and confirmed by the Pentagon, broke from that practice by proposing a livestream. The resulting criticism from both parties, and Vance's public refusal to watch, left the president politically exposed before he reversed course.
Key Perspectives
Trump administration: The president argued a public broadcast could serve as a deterrent for the world to see how America deals with terrorists, but he accepted that well-meaning people would not want to watch, and limited viewing to victims' immediate families.
Republican and Democratic critics: Opposed the livestream, warning that images of the execution could be used to fuel radicalisation and turn the event into a public spectacle.
Vice President JD Vance: Said he would not watch, an early sign of the plan's political fragility.
Victims' families: Have been offered the option to view the execution in person, though their response is not reported.
What to Watch
- Whether the Pentagon issues further formal guidance on recording and witness arrangements before December 3.
- Whether the reversal fully closes the livestream proposal, or whether any alternative form of public broadcast is suggested.
- Any further developments in the case as the scheduled execution date approaches.