US President Donald Trump has cancelled plans to livestream the execution of Nidal Hasan, a former Army major convicted of killing 13 people at Texas’s Fort Hood military base in 2009. The decision follows mounting opposition from Republicans, religious leaders and the American public.
Trump overruled Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth on Thursday, halting the proposal to broadcast Hasan’s scheduled execution by firing squad on 3 December at Fort Hood, the site of the attack. No other country is known to televise or livestream judicial executions publicly, reports Reuters.
White House unaware of plan
A White House official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Trump and his advisers were initially unaware of the Pentagon’s proposal to livestream the execution.
Explaining his decision in a social media post, Trump wrote: “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 but, many 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 added.
Although the public broadcast has been cancelled, families of Hasan’s victims will still be allowed to witness the execution in person, in line with standard practice at US executions.
Widespread opposition and political reaction
The proposal faced widespread backlash, with opinion polls indicating that a majority of Americans opposed livestreaming the execution. Within Trump’s own party, Vice-President JD Vance and other Republicans raised concerns, ranging from doubts about the plan to outright condemnation.
Republican Senator John Curtis of Utah welcomed the cancellation, describing it in a statement as “the right move”.
Meanwhile, US Representative Richard Neal, a Democrat from Massachusetts, condemned the original proposal as “a profound failure of moral judgment and basic human decency”.
Religious leaders also voiced strong objections. Archbishop Timothy Broglio, who oversees the spiritual care of Catholic members of the US armed forces, opposed the plan, while Pope Leo reiterated his condemnation of capital punishment in all its forms.
Disagreement with Pentagon leadership
Hegseth had defended the original proposal, arguing that broadcasting the execution was necessary to ensure people understood “there’s serious consequences for these types of things”.
The reversal marks Trump’s first major public split with Hegseth, a close ally. Although the Pentagon said the two remained “completely aligned”, it remains unclear whether the disagreement will threaten Hegseth’s political standing given their close relationship.
An attorney representing Hasan could not immediately be reached for comment. It also remains uncertain whether legal challenges will delay the scheduled execution on 3 December.
The controversy comes amid a sensitive political backdrop, with the midterm elections scheduled for 3 November set to determine whether Republicans retain control of Congress. Opinion polls have also shown growing public disapproval of Trump’s policies.
