Trump Scraps Livestream of Hegseth-Backed Execution Plan

The public broadcast of Nidal Hasan’s impending military execution has been cancelled by President Donald Trump. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had previously announced that online viewers would be able to watch the procedure, but Trump reversed this plan on Thursday following growing objections.

Reasoning Behind The Reversal

Trump stated that "Many very good and well-meaning people would rather not watch him die." According to the BBC, the president had initially supported Hegseth’s proposal, which argued that broadcasting the event would demonstrate the consequences of such acts. Trump had earlier said he "absolutely" approved of the livestream concept.

Vice President JD Vance had questioned whether officials would ultimately proceed with the broadcast and noted he would not watch it himself. As criticism of the planned public viewing increased, Trump changed course. He remarked, “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.”

Execution Schedule Remains Fixed

Despite cancelling the stream, Trump confirmed, “He will die, as scheduled, by firing squad, but this event will not be streamed.” The Pentagon announced last week that Hasan faces execution by firing squad on December 3, 2026. This death would mark the first U.S. military execution in more than 60 years.

Hasan fatally shot 13 unarmed U.S. soldiers at Fort Hood in Texas in 2009 and injured 32 others. He admitted in court to carrying out the shooting. During his 2013 court-martial, he stated he believed he acted to protect Muslims and the Taliban in Afghanistan from the U.S. military.

Legal Requirements And Family Access

U.S. military law requires presidential approval for a military execution, as well as appellate review before authorities can carry out the sentence. Trump left the execution schedule unchanged, noting that victims’ families could still attend the event in person. “They deserve to witness JUSTICE!” he said.