Trump says execution of Fort Hood shooter will not be livestreamed

US President Donald Trump said on Thursday the execution of Fort Hood shooter Nidal Malik Hasan will not be livestreamed.

The announcement comes after the Trump administration faced criticism from both Republicans and Democrats, as well as rights groups and many in the international community. Vice President JD Vance also said he would not watch such a livestream.

Trump wrote on his social media platform Truth Social that publicly airing the execution “might have been a strong deterrent for the World to witness how America deals with Terrorists and SCUM like Hasan."

But the president added that "any very good and well meaning people would rather not watch him die, through streaming, or through any other visual device."

Trump said he "will die, as scheduled, by firing squad, but this event will not be streamed."He noted that the execution can be viewed in person by immediate families of the victims, "if they so choose."

Hasan's execution is scheduled for Deccember 3 at the US military prison in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.

A slew of criticism

The public execution idea drew wide condemnation from lawmakers of both main US parties, Republicans and Democrats, including top House Republican Mike Johnson, who said it could be a "recruiting tool for future terrorists."

Dozens of retired US military officers also published an open letter warning against broadcasting the execution, saying it "will taint the honor of the military that employs it, and a nation that allows it."

The letter added that such a move woud "ensure that Hasan becomes a martyr for attacking and killing his fellow soldiers," said the officers, including more than 40 generals and admirals.

Even Vice President JD Vance was reticent about the plan. 

When asked about the public execution and whether it was acceptable in his Christian faith, Vance said he didn't know that it would actually happen.

"So whatever the controversy is about the method of the execution, I hope that people don’t forget that this is a guy who brutally murdered a lot of innocent people,” Vance said, adding: “Now, that said, I mean, look, if it’s ultimately livestreamed, I’m not going to be watching it."

Hegseth had sought to make execution 'public'

The plan to livestream Hasan's execution was announced last week by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.

In a video posted on X by official Pentagon accounts, Hegseth had said that Hasan would get "a firing squad of soldiers, as it should be, and we'll make sure that people are able to watch it, that it's public."

Hasan was an Army psychiatrist who held the rank of major when he carried out the shooting in a medical building on Nov. 5, 2009.

Soldiers were waiting in long lines to receive immunizations and medical clearance for deployment at the time of the shooting. Hasan shouted “Allahu akbar” — Arabic for “God is great!” — as he opened fire on his fellow soldiers

He was left paralyzed from the waist down after being shot in the back by law enforcement. He now uses a wheelchair.

During his trial, Hasan said he had perpetrated the shooting to protect Taliban members in Afghanistan from US troops.

The last time the US military carried out a service member execution was in 1961, when John Bennett was hanged for rape and attempted murder.      

Edited by: Wesley Dockery

If you rely on our team for trusted reporting, please take a moment to select us as your Preferred Source on Google, so you'll always see our verified news first.