Trump calls off livestream for Fort Hood shooter’s execution by firing squad

On Thursday, President Donald Trump announced that the Pentagon would cease live streaming the firing squad execution of Fort Hood shooter Nidal Malik Hasan due to bipartisan criticism. Trump's social media post suggested that broadcasting the execution could serve as a deterrent against terrorism, but many, including Vice-President J.D.

Vance, disagreed, stating they would not watch it. The Pentagon has scheduled Hasan's execution for December 3. Trump indicated that immediate family members of the victims could view the execution in person if they so choose. Earlier in the month, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had announced that the execution would be public, followed by confirmation from the Pentagon that it would be live-streamed.

This announcement led to strong backlash from both Republicans and Democrats, who argued that the images could be used to radicalize others. When asked about the compatibility of a public execution with his Christian faith, Vance expressed uncertainty about the execution's actual occurrence. He emphasized that Hasan, an Army psychiatrist who killed multiple innocent people, deserved the harsh sentence.

Vance, however, stated he would not watch the execution if it were to be live-streamed. Hasan, who held the rank of major, entered a medical building on November 5, 2009, where soldiers were awaiting vaccinations and deployment clearance. After shouting "Allahu akbar," he opened fire, killing and injuring several individuals. Hasan claimed his actions were intended to prevent soldiers from deploying to Afghanistan, where he believed they would be fighting against his fellow Muslims.

A military judge barred him from presenting this claim as a defense during his 2013 trial. Hasan was left paralyzed from the waist down following law enforcement's shooting, and now uses a wheelchair. He has the option to request a delay in his execution, but his demeanor during the trial suggests he may not be interested in such a delay.