Republican opposition widens to livestreamed execution; Trump still weighing it
A government execution has never been broadcast or livestreamed, experts say, and the military has not executed anyone by firing squad since 1945.
A contentious Pentagon plan to livestream the execution of former U.S. Army psychiatrist Nidal Hasan by firing squad has faced widespread opposition from Republican U.S. lawmakers, religious leaders, and international observers, according to wire reports. The scheduled Dec. 3 execution, in response to Hasan's guilty verdict for 13 murders at Fort Hood in Texas in 2009, has been met with skepticism, particularly regarding the feasibility of the live feed.
Vice President JD Vance, speaking in Cincinnati, expressed doubt about the Pentagon's commitment to the livestream, stating, "I don’t know that that’s actually going to happen." This skepticism comes as Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth advocated for the plan. With Vance's comments in mind, it's clear that the decision to proceed with the livestream is far from certain.
As of now, President Donald Trump has not yet made a decision on whether to allow the live feed, leaving the fate of the livestreamed execution in a state of uncertainty.
Written by urgent.news from Japan Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
