In a dramatic reversal of his earlier position, U.S. President Donald Trump has scrapped a controversial plan to livestream the upcoming firing squad execution of Nidal Hasan, the former Army psychiatrist responsible for one of the deadliest attacks on American soil in modern military history. The decision comes after weeks of widespread condemnation from human rights organizations, global leaders, and even members of Trump’s own administration over the unprecedented proposal to broadcast a military execution to the public.
Hasan’s execution, scheduled for December 3, 2026, marks the first military execution in the United States in more than 60 years. He was convicted for the November 5, 2009, mass shooting at Fort Hood, Texas, that left 13 unarmed U.S. soldiers dead and 32 others injured. The attack unfolded in a crowded medical facility where deploying troops were waiting for routine check-ups and vaccinations, shocking the nation and prompting a years-long legal process that has now culminated in a scheduled death sentence.
Initial plans put forward by Pentagon leadership included a public livestream of the execution, a proposal that was immediately met with fierce pushback. The United Nations labeled the idea “abhorrent,” while human rights groups pointed out that public executions are extremely rare globally, with only two countries — Iran and Afghanistan — carrying out documented public executions in 2025, according to Amnesty International data.
President Trump initially voiced support for the livestream, arguing that it would serve as a powerful deterrent to terrorist actors by demonstrating how America handles violent extremists. “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,” Trump wrote in a public statement Thursday. But after acknowledging broad opposition from across the political spectrum and global community, Trump walked back the plan, confirming that “He will die, as scheduled, by firing squad, but this event will not be streamed.”
Trump did note that families of Hasan’s victims will still be allowed to attend the execution in person if they choose, adding “They deserve to witness JUSTICE!”
The proposal split the administration early on. Vice President JD Vance cast public doubt on whether the livestream would ever happen, saying he would not watch it personally. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth initially defended the plan, arguing that the public needed to see the serious consequences of extremist violence against service members. As criticism mounted, Trump appeared to hedge his support last week, saying he “absolutely” approved of the idea but that the Pentagon would make the final determination.
Hasan’s legal team has long pushed back against the livestream plan, calling it a violation of Army regulations and a public relations stunt that has left a permanent stain on the U.S. military justice system. John Galligan, one of Hasan’s attorneys, told the BBC that Trump’s reversal “comes as no surprise.” Galligan argued that the initial decision by Hegseth to approve the livestream was “dumb” from the start, and violated existing Army rules governing executions. He also noted that Hasan has been paralyzed from the chest down, a detail he claims Trump “allegedly didn’t even know” when he first backed the plan.
“The damage has already been done – the Army is now just trying to clean up the mess,” Galligan said. “It will permanently remain a stain on our military justice system.” Galligan added that it was unclear whether Hasan had been informed of Trump’s decision to reverse the livestream plan as of Thursday.
During his 2013 court-martial, Hasan openly admitted he was the gunman and told the court he carried out the attack to protect Muslims and the Taliban in Afghanistan from U.S. military operations. Under U.S. military law, any military execution requires presidential approval and appellate review by a higher court to confirm the legality of the sentence before it can be carried out. The scheduled 2026 execution has already gone through all required legal processes, meaning Hasan’s death sentence will proceed as planned regardless of the livestream cancellation.