President Donald Trump has backed away from plans to livestream the execution of convicted Fort Hood shooter Nidal Malik Hasan following criticism from Republicans and Democrats who argued that broadcasting the execution would cross a line.
Trump announced the decision Thursday on Truth Social, confirming that the Pentagon will no longer broadcast Hasan’s execution. Families of the victims will still be allowed to witness the execution in person.
The reversal comes after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced last week that the execution would be livestreamed, setting off a debate over whether the federal government should turn a military execution into a public spectacle.
Trump defended the original idea while acknowledging concerns raised by critics.
“I think streaming the execution for all to see might have been a strong deterrent for the World to witness how America deals with Terrorists and SCUM like Hasan,” Trump wrote. “But, many very good and well meaning people would rather not watch him die, through streaming, or through any other visual device.”
The president said victims’ families would be welcome to attend, “but this event will not be streamed.”
Hasan Scheduled for Execution in December
Hasan, a former Army major, was sentenced to death for the November 5, 2009, mass shooting at Fort Hood, Texas, now known as Fort Cavazos.
The attack unfolded inside a military medical processing building, where Hasan opened fire on fellow service members and civilians, killing 13 people and wounding 32 others.
Witnesses reported hearing Hasan shout “Allahu akbar,” an Arabic phrase meaning “God is great,” before the gunfire erupted. The shooting was later classified as an act of terrorism.
Hasan's execution is scheduled for December and would mark a historic moment for the military justice system.
If carried out, it would be the first execution under the U.S. military justice system since 1961. It would also mark the first execution of a service member by firing squad since World War II.
Hegseth had previously made clear that the Pentagon intended to carry out the execution at Fort Hood, using a firing squad, with the timing deliberately chosen to mirror the original attack.
“Army Major betrays his country, radical Islamist kills a bunch of Americans at Fort Hood – of course we’re gonna do it at Fort Hood and do it on a Thursday, we’re gonna do it at 1 o’clock – which is when he did it,” Hegseth said. “And it’s gonna be soldiers with rifles executing the firing squad.”
The defense secretary also described livestreaming the execution as a “no brainer,” arguing that the public display would carry symbolic significance.
That position quickly drew criticism from Capitol Hill.
Republicans and Democrats Push Back on Livestream Plan
Opposition to broadcasting Hasan's execution crossed party lines, with lawmakers questioning the message it would send about the American justice system.
Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., called the livestream proposal “disgusting,” while Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., warned that broadcasting the execution would glorify violence.
The criticism wasn't limited to Democrats.
Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., compared the proposal to practices associated with “oppressive dictatorships like Iran and Afghanistan.”
The bipartisan objections highlighted a distinction between supporting the death penalty for Hasan and supporting a government-produced broadcast of his final moments.
For critics, the concern wasn't necessarily whether Hasan deserved his sentence. It was whether livestreaming an execution would serve justice or simply turn punishment into public entertainment.
Trump's Thursday announcement appears to settle that particular controversy, at least for now.
Execution Will Proceed Without Public Broadcast
Despite the change in plans, there is no indication in Trump's announcement that the administration intends to delay or cancel Hasan's scheduled execution.
The decision instead changes who will be able to witness it.
Victims' families will have the opportunity to attend in person, while the broader public will not be able to watch through a Pentagon livestream.
For families who lost loved ones in the 2009 attack, the approaching execution marks another chapter in a case that has stretched across nearly two decades.
And while Trump's decision ends the immediate fight over broadcasting the execution, it leaves a larger question about how the United States should carry out and publicly present capital punishment, particularly in cases involving terrorism and the military.
