Trump cancels livestream of Fort Hood shooter's execution

U.S. President Donald Trump stated on Thursday that the Pentagon will no longer livestream the firing squad execution of Fort Hood shooter Nidal Malik Hasan. The decision follows significant bipartisan criticism and comments from Vice-President JD Vance, who indicated he would not watch the event.

Reversal of Livestream Plan

Trump announced the change on social media, noting that while public airing "might have been a strong deterrent for the World to witness how America deals with Terrorists and SCUM like Hasan," he acknowledged that "many very good and well meaning people would rather not watch him die, through streaming, or through any other visual device."

According to Trump, Hasan "will die, as scheduled, by firing squad, but this event will not be streamed." The execution is scheduled for Dec. 3. Trump stated that immediate families of the victims can view the execution in person, "if they so choose."

The initial announcement by U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth that the execution would be public, and subsequent Pentagon confirmation that it would be livestreamed, prompted blowback from both Republicans and Democrats. Critics argued that the images could be used to fuel radicalization. The Pentagon declined to elaborate beyond Trump’s statement.

Political and Religious Opposition

Vice-President JD Vance, a Catholic, addressed the controversy earlier this month. "I don’t know that that’s actually going to happen," Vance said regarding the livestream. He added, "Now, that said, I mean, look, if it’s ultimately livestreamed, I’m not going to be watching it."

The head of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, Archbishop Paul S. Coakley, condemned the decision to livestream, calling it a "barbaric promotion of a culture of death and must be reconsidered." House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., also voiced similar sentiments.

Trump had previously defended the use of a firing squad, stating, "He will be killed. He will be, through firing squad. I really don’t care how he goes, as long as he goes. And I think the death penalty is a very worthy way of going for him." However, he had distanced himself from the specific announcement regarding the public livestream.

Background on Nidal Malik Hasan

Nidal Malik Hasan, a former Army psychiatrist with the rank of major, carried out the shooting on Nov. 5, 2009, at a medical building at Fort Hood. He shouted "Allahu akbar" and opened fire with a laser-sighted handgun, killing 13 people and wounding dozens of others. Hasan stated the attack was an effort to stop soldiers from deploying to Afghanistan. He was left paralyzed from the waist down after being shot by law enforcement and currently uses a wheelchair.

The U.S. military has not executed a service member by firing squad since World War II. The last military execution took place on April 13, 1961, when Army Pvt. John Bennett was executed by hanging.

Why it matters

The cancellation of the livestream marks a significant policy reversal for the Trump administration following widespread public and political opposition. An ABC News/Washington Post/Ipsos poll released on Thursday found that 80% of US adults, including 64% of Republicans, said the execution should not be livestreamed. The event remains the first U.S. Army execution of a soldier since World War II.

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Sources

• ctvnews.ca: Trump says Pentagon won't livestream execution of Fort Hood shooter
• cnn.com: Trump calls off livestream of Fort Hood shooter’s firing squad execution | CNN Politics

This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.