Nidal Hasan Execution Livestream Cancelled
Pentagon reverses decision on public broadcast of firing squad execution for Fort Hood shooter; victims' families may view in person.
Sarah Connor
The Pentagon has cancelled plans to livestream the execution of Nidal Hasan.
The cancellation follows earlier suggestions that the public would watch the execution. US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth had suggested he might livestream the former Army major's execution.
A group of 72 retired US generals, admirals, and other high-ranking military officers sent a letter to the US government opposing the livestream. These officers claimed the broadcast would turn the mass killer into a 'martyr' and violate constitutional protections against cruel and unusual punishment.
He will die, as scheduled, by firing squad, but this event will not be streamed.
They further argued such exploitative broadcasting would debase human dignity, taint the honor of the military, and be used by enemies to stoke hatred against American soldiers and citizens. This, they claimed, would ensure Hasan becomes a martyr for his actions.
President Trump announced his reversal on Thursday, stating, "He will die, as scheduled, by firing squad, but this event will not be streamed." He also noted that "many very good and well meaning people would rather not watch him die."
Broadcasting such an execution might have served as a strong deterrent, Trump claimed, allowing the world to witness how America deals with terrorists. He also stated that Barack Hussein Obama’s Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) intercepted electronic communications between Hasan and radical Yemeni-American cleric Anwar al-Awlaki.
When his FBI terrorism task force reviewed the communications, investigators concluded that Hasan's emails posed no threat. This assessment of the Obama Administration’s actions was later considered a key intelligence failure, Trump claimed.
While the livestream has been canceled, the immediate families of the victims may still view the execution in person.