President Donald Trump has called off a Pentagon plan to livestream the firing squad execution of Nidal Hasan, the former Army psychiatrist responsible for the 2009 mass shooting at Fort Hood, Texas. The execution itself is still scheduled for Dec. 3.
War Secretary Pete Hegseth had announced earlier this month that the execution would be made publicly available via livestream. Trump reversed that decision in a post on Truth Social on Thursday, writing that while a livestream could act as a deterrent to terrorism, he recognized that many Americans would rather not watch it.
“He will die, as scheduled, by firing squad, but this event will not be streamed,” Trump wrote.
Trump confirmed that family members of the 13 people killed in the shooting will still be allowed to attend the execution in person, saying they “deserve to witness JUSTICE.”
Hasan, now 56, was an Army psychiatrist stationed at Fort Hood when he shouted “Allahu Akbar” and opened fire on the base, killing 13 people and injuring 32 others. He has used a wheelchair since he was shot and partially paralyzed by police during his arrest nearly 17 years ago. He was convicted on all 42 counts at his 2013 military trial and sentenced to death. His execution would be the first U.S. military execution in more than six decades.
Public reaction
Fox News Digital interviewed Americans about Trump’s reversal, and most expressed support for canceling the livestream.
“I’m really glad that he called it off, because I feel like it’s not really a deterrent, it’s more like a shock effect,” said Sylvia, from Arizona. “I don’t think we really need that in this country right now.”
David, also from Arizona, compared the idea of a public execution broadcast to practices in authoritarian states. “The only other countries that really do that are like North Korea,” he said. “We don’t want to be North Korea.”
Nate, from Virginia, said he had opposed making the execution public from the start. “I never approved of the idea of it being public in the first place,” he said. “I think it’s just ridiculous to make a spectacle out of an execution, especially in 2026 of all time.”
One person interviewed suggested the reversal reflected a change of heart on Trump’s part: “Well, maybe he has a conscience now.”
Others were more skeptical of his motives, suggesting the decision was more about public image than principle. “I think it was trying to save his image,” said Ivy, from Georgia, who was sharply critical of Trump personally. Nate offered a similar take, saying, “I think it was just so clearly an unpopular thing to do that he realized it would probably do more harm to his public image than good.”
Not everyone agreed with canceling the broadcast. Daniel, from Virginia, said he would have watched the livestream himself. “Yeah, I would watch,” he said. “Because I wouldn’t want somebody to kill another person, you know what I mean? That person should be held wrong for what he’s done.”
