Trump wavers on whether Hasan execution will be streamed
President Trump said the execution of former Army Maj. Nidal Hasan will proceed by firing squad but suggested the livestreaming decision is still being made. The Pentagon had announced that Hasan's Dec. 3 execution, the military's first in six decades, would be streamed. Lawmakers from both parties criticized the plan, while Vice President Vance said he would not watch it.
Nidal Hasan is a former Army psychiatrist convicted for the 2009 Fort Hood, Texas, attack, where 13 people died and more than 20 were wounded. His scheduled Dec. 3 execution by firing squad would be the U.S. military's first in about 60 years.
The Pentagon said it would livestream the execution, prompting objections from lawmakers in both parties. Sen. Thom Tillis called public streaming repugnant, while Sen. Jack Reed said it would harm U.S. interests. Vice President JD Vance said he would not watch. President Trump said the method is firing squad but left the broadcast question open.
The dispute could affect public confidence in military justice and how execution access is handled. Victims' families and the Fort Hood community may face renewed attention and distress. Service members and veterans could see the case as a test of military capital punishment. Media platforms may face pressure over carrying any stream, while lawmakers and foreign observers may debate what the decision says about U.S. values.