How Pete Hegseth’s Plan for a Reality-TV Execution Imploded

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's plan to livestream the execution of former Army psychiatrist Nidal Hasan by firing squad, who had killed 13 people in a 2009 rampage at Fort Hood, Texas, quickly fell apart after the announcement. The plan, which was initially approved by President Trump on October 2, drew widespread backlash from friends, confidants, and lawmakers who deemed it barbaric and a bad precedent.

Even Trump, who had initially seemed supportive, became increasingly hesitant, with Vice President Mike Pence expressing disgust over the idea of a livestream execution. House Speaker Mike Johnson also distanced himself from the plan, and a number of lawmakers, including Representative Austin Scott and Senator Thom Tillis, called Hegseth's proposal "beyond disgusting."

The administration's unease with the plan stemmed from concerns over the optics, the potential for ISIS to use it for propaganda, and the fact that Hasan was paralyzed from the waist down. In the end, Trump opted to keep the execution private, with only a select audience present at Fort Hood on December 3 to witness Nidal Hasan's execution by firing squad.