President Trump cancels livestream of Fort Hood shooter’s execution after backlash
US President Donald Trump has cancelled plans to livestream the firing squad execution of Fort Hood shooter Nidal Malik Hasan following bipartisan criticism that broadcasting his death could fuel terrorist recruitment and undermine American values.
The Pentagon had announced that Hasan’s execution would be public and livestreamed, triggering condemnation from Republicans, Democrats and religious leaders who warned that broadcasting the killing could be exploited by extremist groups for propaganda.
Trump, however, defended the proposed broadcast as a possible deterrent against terrorism before acknowledging concerns raised by members of the public.
“Might have been a strong deterrent for the World to witness how America deals with terrorists and cum like Hasan,” Trump wrote on social media.
“But many very good and well-meaning people would rather not watch him die, through streaming, or through any other visual device,” he added.
A US official, speaking anonymously to NPR, said Trump was persuaded that livestreaming the execution would conflict with American values and could encourage recruitment into radical Islamist terrorist groups, potentially endangering US forces in the Middle East.
The execution remains scheduled for December 3, with Trump saying immediate family members of the victims may attend in person if they choose.
Pentagon chief spokesperson Sean Parnell confirmed that Trump and Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth had discussed the decision.
“The Secretary supports the President’s decision, and they are completely aligned,” Parnell said.
Vice President JD Vance had earlier expressed reservations about watching the execution, saying he would not view it if it was ultimately broadcast. The Catholic Church, which opposes capital punishment, also condemned the proposal.
Archbishop Paul S. Coakley, head of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops, described the move as a “barbaric promotion of a culture of death” and urged the administration to reconsider.
Hasan, an Army psychiatrist and former major, killed 13 people and wounded more than 30 others during a shooting at Fort Hood, Texas, on November 5, 2009.
He opened fire on soldiers awaiting medical clearance for deployment. Hasan was convicted in 2013 and sentenced to death. He was left paralysed from the waist down after being shot by law enforcement officers.
Despite the cancellation of the livestream, religious scholars warn that publicly proposing the broadcast may already have shifted boundaries around what is considered acceptable state punishment.
