US President Donald Trump has cancelled plans to livestream the execution of Fort Hood shooter Nidal Hasan to the public. Trump said Thursday that Hasan will still be executed by firing squad as scheduled on December 3, but the public will not be allowed to watch it online, according to Donald Trump’s Truth Social post.
He added that the immediate families of the victims will be allowed to attend the execution in person. The decision reverses an announcement made by Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth last week.
Why Trump cancelled the execution livestream
Trump said livestreaming the execution could have acted as a warning to others by showing how the US deals with terrorists. However, he added that many well-meaning people would not want to watch Hasan die through a livestream or any other visual platform. He did not say that the cancellation of the livestream would change the planned execution date or method, according to CNN.
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Nidal Hasan's role in the Fort Hood shooting
Nidal Hasan was convicted of killing 13 people and injuring dozens of others in a shooting at Fort Hood, a US Army base in Texas, in 2009. CNN reported earlier this week that Trump and his advisers were debating whether to cancel the livestream after the Pentagon announced the plan.
{{/usCountry}}Nidal Hasan was convicted of killing 13 people and injuring dozens of others in a shooting at Fort Hood, a US Army base in Texas, in 2009. CNN reported earlier this week that Trump and his advisers were debating whether to cancel the livestream after the Pentagon announced the plan.
{{/usCountry}}Sources familiar with the discussions told CNN that Trump did not know Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth was announcing the plan to let the public watch the execution. Trump was initially unsure how to respond to the announcement.
Livestream plan faced public and political backlash
The Pentagon’s plan to livestream the execution faced opposition from both Republicans and Democrats. The announcement also caught people across the Pentagon and the US Army off guard.
A poll released on Thursday by ABC News, The Washington Post and Ipsos found that 80% of US adults opposed livestreaming Hasan’s execution. The opposition also included 64% of Republicans surveyed.