President Donald Trump has overturned Secretary of War Pete Hegseth’s decision to livestream the scheduled firing squad execution of former US Army Major Nidal Malik Hasan, following fierce criticism from politicians and the public.
Trump announced on Thursday that Hasan would still face execution on December 3, but the event would not be broadcast live.
The president also said the immediate families of the victims would be permitted to witness the execution in person if they wished.
Trump Reverses Hegseth’s Livestream Decision
The decision marks a reversal of Hegseth’s announcement last week that Hasan’s execution would be made public.
The Department of War subsequently confirmed that the proceedings would be livestreamed, prompting widespread objections to the proposal.
However, mounting opposition to the plan preceded Trump’s announcement that the execution would proceed without a public broadcast.
In a statement addressing the case, Trump condemned Hasan for the 2009 mass shooting at Fort Hood, Texas, which killed 13 people and left dozens injured.
President Condemns Former Army Major
Trump described Hasan as a former Army major who had betrayed his country, highlighting the severity of the attack and the lives lost.
“Nidal Malik Hasan, a former U.S. Army Major turned traitor, is a very bad and evil man, who killed 13 people, including a pregnant soldier, who died, along with her unborn son, and injured, very seriously, 32 more innocent people,” Trump said.
Hasan, a former Army psychiatrist, was responsible for the deadly shooting at the military installation in November 2009. His victims included a pregnant soldier and her unborn child.
The former major is scheduled to be executed by firing squad on December 3.
Politicians Across Party Lines Oppose Public Broadcast
Hegseth’s proposal to make the execution public attracted criticism from politicians on both sides of the political divide.
Opponents expressed disapproval of the prospect of broadcasting a firing squad execution, describing the approach as excessively brutal.
Public opinion also showed substantial resistance to the idea.
A Washington Post-ABC-Ipsos poll released on Thursday found that 80 per cent of US adults believed the administration should not livestream the execution.
The findings reflected broad opposition to broadcasting the proceedings, adding to the controversy surrounding the Department of War’s original announcement.
Trump Confirms Execution Will Proceed Without Livestream
Addressing the dispute on Thursday, Trump confirmed that the scheduled execution would go ahead but ruled out a live broadcast.
“He will die, as scheduled, by firing squad, but this event will not be streamed,” the president said.
He added that the immediate families of the victims could attend in person if they chose to do so.
The announcement leaves the December 3 execution date unchanged while reversing Hegseth’s plan to livestream the proceedings.
