Stories
Trump Cancels Livestream of Military Base Shooter's Execution
- •US President Donald Trump announced that the firing squad execution of convicted military base shooter Nidal Hasan will not be livestreamed, reversing a controversial plan by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
- •The proposed livestream faced widespread domestic and international backlash, with opposition from US politicians across both parties, the United Nations, the Catholic Church, and foreign leaders.
- •Trump stated on social media that Hasan will still die by firing squad as scheduled on December 3 at Fort Hood, Texas, but noted that many well-meaning people preferred not to watch the event.
- •The execution stems from the 2009 mass shooting at Fort Hood where Hasan killed 13 people, marking what is set to be the first execution by a US military firing squad since 1945.
- •Critics, including retired military officers and lawmakers, warned that broadcasting the execution could turn Hasan into a martyr and serve as a recruiting tool for terrorists.
Key Questions Answered
President Donald Trump canceled the livestream following widespread bipartisan outrage from US politicians, the Catholic Church, the United Nations, and public polling showing that eight in 10 Americans opposed broadcasting the event. Critics and retired military officers warned that streaming the execution could serve as a terrorist recruiting tool and dishonor the military.
Nidal Hasan is scheduled to be executed by a military firing squad on December 3 at Fort Hood, Texas, where he carried out the 2009 mass shooting that killed 13 people.
The last execution carried out by the US military occurred in 1961, when John Bennett was hanged for rape and attempted murder. Hasan's upcoming sentence will mark the first time a US military firing squad has executed someone since 1945.
