The U.S. military will not livestream the execution of Nidal Malik Hasan, the former Army psychiatrist convicted of the 2009 mass shooting at Fort Hood, President Donald Trump announced on October 15. Hasan, who killed 13 people and wounded dozens more in the deadliest attack on a U.S. military base, is scheduled to be executed by firing squad on December 3. This will be the first military firing squad execution in the United States since 1945.
The decision marks a reversal of an earlier plan championed by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to publicly broadcast the execution. Hegseth had asserted that streaming the event could serve as a deterrent by showing how America deals with terrorists. However, the plan faced widespread bipartisan criticism from lawmakers, military officials, religious leaders, and international figures, prompting Trump to reconsider.
In a post on his social media platform, Trump acknowledged that the livestream “might have been a strong deterrent for the World to witness,” but added that "many very good and well meaning people would rather not watch him die, through streaming, or through any other visual device." He clarified that the execution would still proceed as scheduled and that immediate family members of the victims would be allowed to attend in person if they wished.
The backlash to the livestream plan was significant. Critics warned that broadcasting the execution could potentially fuel radicalization and turn Hasan into a martyr. A group of 72 retired generals, admirals, and senior military officers issued an open letter expressing concern that the broadcast would glorify Hasan and inspire further violence. Prominent Republicans, including House Speaker Mike Johnson and Senator JD Vance, voiced opposition; Vance stated he would not watch the execution and emphasized remembering the victims rather than the perpetrator.
Victims’ families also opposed the livestream, with some describing the plan as turning tragedy into entertainment. Keely Cahill Vanacker, whose father was killed in the attack, said the cancellation offered families a chance for peace and expressed hope that the reprieve reflected a broader public sentiment. A Washington Post/ABC poll indicated that approximately 80% of Americans were against the livestreaming proposal.
Hasan was left paralyzed from the waist down after being shot by law enforcement during his arrest and uses a wheelchair. During his 2009 attack at Fort Hood, he opened fire on soldiers waiting for medical processing, reportedly shouting religious phrases and stating his intent to prevent them from deploying to Afghanistan.
The Pentagon indicated that Defense Secretary Hegseth and President Trump had discussed the decision prior to the announcement and that both were aligned on cancelling the live broadcast. The execution’s move away from public streaming concludes a contentious national debate on how best to handle the culmination of Hasan’s case.