House Speaker Mike Johnson voices opposition to livestreamed execution planned by Hegseth

House Speaker Mike Johnson has expressed reservations regarding a plan by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to livestream the firing squad execution of Nidal Hasan. According to Free Malaysia Today, New Straits Times, and The Hill, Johnson joined other Republicans in voicing concerns that the broadcast could create a video that serves as a recruiting tool for future terrorists.

Johnson told CBS News that the policy implications of the decision must be considered and stated he would not watch the execution if it were broadcast live.

Hasan, 56, was sentenced to be executed by firing squad at Fort Hood, Texas, on December 3. Free Malaysia Today and New Straits Times note this would be the first U.S. military execution by firing squad since 1945. While Hegseth defended the idea by stating the execution should be public, President Donald Trump said a final decision on whether the event will be broadcast live has not yet been made.

Brief written by urgent.news from CBS News, Free Malaysia Today, New Straits Times, The Hill — 4 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.