Live Broadcast Not Settled: Trump Publicly Backs Execution of Nidal Hasan

US President Donald Trump announced on Friday his public support for the Department of War ("Pentagon") plans to execute the gunman who killed 13 soldiers during a bloody attack at "Fort Hood" base in 2009 by firing squad. However, he did not specify whether he backs the controversial plans to broadcast the execution live.

Trump said on Friday during a speech at a White House celebration for "Christopher Columbus Day" about former Army Major Nidal Malik Hasan: "He deserves death by firing squad; he killed and injured many, many people. He is mentally deranged."

Later that day, Trump answered a journalist's question saying: "Did I approve it? Absolutely." But it was unclear whether he meant approval of the method of execution or the live broadcast of the process, as reported by "usatoday".

In an earlier conversation with another reporter, Trump said they are "looking into it" to determine if the execution will be broadcast live. Regarding the gunman, Trump said: "He is completely crazy, so I really don't care how he dies, as long as he dies."

The US Department of War ("Pentagon") announced earlier this week plans to execute former Army Major Nidal Malik Hasan by firing squad, while Secretary Pete Hegseth stated that the execution would be via "live broadcast".

The last time the United States executed someone militarily by firing squad was on January 31, 1945, when Private Eddie Slovik was executed for desertion from military service.

The newspaper states that it found no record of any execution being broadcast live by any government in the world, and the "Death Penalty Information Center" - a non-profit organization - was also unable to find any similar case.