In brief
President Trump has halted plans to livestream the firing‑squad execution of former U.S. Army psychiatrist Nidal Hasan, the Fort Hood shooter who killed 13 unarmed soldiers in 2009. The decision comes after fierce backlash from human‑rights groups and global audiences. Trump confirmed the execution will still proceed as scheduled on 3 December 2026, but families of the victims may view it in person. Pentagon Secretary Pete Hegseth had earlier defended the livestream, citing deterrence value. The reversal aligns with the Pentagon’s stated intent to respect victims’ dignity and respond to international criticism.
President Donald Trump has called off a controversial plan to broadcast the execution of former U.S. Army psychiatrist Nidal Hasan, the individual who opened fire on Fort Hood, Texas, in 2009, killing thirteen soldiers. The decision follows global condemnation and widespread criticism from human‑rights groups.
Trump confirmed the execution will still take place on 3 December 2026 by firing squad, but the event will not be streamed online. He said the families of the victims may witness the event in person, asserting that "they deserve to witness justice." The move was made after reports that the Pentagon had initially planned a livestream, an action defended by Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth as a deterrent and an opportunity for transparency.
Vice‑President Jim D. Vance had already expressed doubts about the livestream, stating he would not watch it, and the Pentagon’s spokesperson for Hegseth said the department was still "making a determination" on the matter. Trump’s reversal was announced on Truth Social, where he also described Hasan as "totally nuts" and dismissed concerns over the execution’s broadcast.
The change follows criticism from the United Nations, which labeled the livestream abominable, and other international observers who warned that a public execution would violate international norms. Amnesty International noted that only a handful of countries—primarily Iran and Afghanistan—have recently carried out public executions.
Hasan, who was diagnosed with a severe mental disorder and is currently paralyzed from the chest down, admitted his role in the shooting during his 2013 court martial. He has been held in military prison since, and his case has been reviewed through the judicial appeals process. The execution is the first U.S. military death penalty of this nature in over six decades.
