Trump says Pentagon will drop plan to livestream execution of Fort Hood shooter

President Donald Trump said Thursday that the military will not livestream the execution of Nidal Malik Hasan, the former Army officer convicted in the 2009 Fort Hood mass shooting that killed 13 people and wounded 32 others.

The decision reverses the Pentagon’s earlier commitment to broadcast the event. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth had said the execution by firing squad would be livestreamed.

“With all of that being said, I think streaming the execution for all to see might have been a strong deterrent for the World to witness how America deals with Terrorists and SCUM like Hasan but, many very good and well meaning people would rather not watch him die, through streaming, or through any other visual device,” Trump wrote in a post on social media on Oct. 15.

Republicans objected to the plan

“He will die, as scheduled, by firing squad, but this event will not be streamed,” Trump added.

Several Republicans had voiced opposition in the days after Hegseth announced the plan. House Speaker Mike Johnson said he would not watch the execution and noted that some of his colleagues “have concerns.” Vice President JD Vance also said he would not be watching and expressed doubt that the Pentagon would ultimately follow through with livestreaming it.

Execution set for Dec. 3

Hegseth said on Oct. 8 that the Pentagon intended to livestream Hasan’s execution, which is scheduled to take place at Fort Hood on Dec. 3 at 1 p.m. — the same day of the week, location and time as Hasan’s 2009 attack.

“We’ll make sure that people are able to watch it,” Hegseth said at the time. “People need to understand that there’s serious consequences for these types of things.”

Hasan’s 2009 attack was the largest mass murder at a U.S. military installation.

Reporting based on coverage by USA Today.