Trump reverses the plan to livestream Nidal Malik Hasan’s December 3 execution following criticism from lawmakers, religious leaders and the public.
An ABC News/Washington Post/Ipsos poll found that 80 per cent of Americans opposed livestreaming the execution, while 53 per cent supported execution by firing squad.
Hasan was convicted of killing 13 people and injuring 32 in the 2009 Fort Hood shooting; further legal challenges could still affect the execution date.
US President Donald Trump has scrapped plans to livestream the execution of Nidal Malik Hasan, the former US Army major convicted of killing 13 people in a 2009 shooting at Fort Hood, Texas. Trump said Hasan’s execution by firing squad would proceed as scheduled on December 3, but would not be broadcast publicly. Immediate family members of the victims will be allowed to attend in person if they choose.
In a post on Truth Social on Thursday, October 15, Trump said a public broadcast might have deterred terrorism by demonstrating how the US deals with attackers. However, he acknowledged that many people would not want to watch an execution. “He will die, as scheduled, by firing squad, but this event will not be streamed,” Trump wrote, adding that the victims’ families “deserve to witness JUSTICE!”
The decision reverses a plan announced by Secretary of War Pete Hegseth earlier this month. The proposal drew criticism from Democrats and Republicans, as well as religious leaders and human rights advocates, who questioned whether broadcasting an execution would serve as a deterrent or turn capital punishment into a public spectacle.
Why Trump Dropped The Livestream Plan
The proposed broadcast became controversial after Hegseth said the public should be able to watch the execution to understand the consequences of violent attacks. Vice-President JD Vance subsequently expressed reluctance to watch it, while religious leaders also raised objections. A Washington Post-ABC News-Ipsos poll released on Thursday found that around 80 per cent of Americans opposed livestreaming the execution, despite greater support for carrying out the death sentence itself.
Trump’s announcement followed discussions with Hegseth, according to Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell. The Pentagon said the two were aligned on the decision. The reversal ends the plan for a public broadcast but does not change the scheduled execution date or method. The administration has not ruled out the possibility of further legal proceedings affecting the timetable.
Hasan’s Conviction And Scheduled Execution
Hasan, a former Army psychiatrist, was convicted in 2013 of 13 counts of premeditated murder and 32 counts of attempted premeditated murder following the November 5, 2009, shooting at Fort Hood. He opened fire at a military medical facility where soldiers were preparing for deployment, killing 13 people and injuring 32 others. The attack remains one of the deadliest shootings on a US military installation.
The US Army announced that Hasan’s execution would take place at Fort Hood at 1 pm Central Standard Time on December 3, 2026. Trump approved the death sentence on October 2, after the military appeals process upheld the conviction and sentence. If carried out as scheduled, it would be the US military’s first execution since 1961 and its first by firing squad since 1945.
However, the date is not necessarily final. Hasan could pursue further legal challenges in civilian federal courts, potentially delaying the execution. For now, the administration says the sentence will proceed, but the public will not be able to watch it live.
