Trump says government won’t livestream execution of Fort Hood shooter Nidal Hasan

Trump said Thursday that the Pentagon will not livestream Nidal Hasan’s scheduled firing-squad execution, reversing Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s earlier announcement. The decision follows criticism from lawmakers in both parties. The execution remains scheduled for Dec. 3, according to the report.

In a Truth Social post, Trump said a public broadcast might deter future attacks. He also said many people would not want to watch an execution. He said relatives of Hasan’s victims could attend in person if they choose.

Hegseth had said the firing squad would be visible to the public. The plan drew objections from lawmakers, including House Speaker Mike Johnson. Vice President JD Vance also said he would not watch a livestream, according to NBC’s reporting.

Hasan, a former Army psychiatrist, was convicted in the 2009 Fort Hood attack that killed 13 people and wounded 32. A military jury sentenced him to death in 2013. He has been held on military death row since then.

The case is unusual because the military has carried out very few executions in recent decades. The last U.S. military execution was in 1961. The last execution by firing squad was in 1945, according to the report.

Trump’s reversal changes whether the public can watch, but not the announced execution method or date. The administration has not explained what access, if any, will be available beyond the victims’ families. That leaves the practical rules for witnesses unclear.