Vice President JD Vance expressed skepticism over Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's proposal to publicly livestream the scheduled December 3, 2026 execution of 2009 Fort Hood shooter Nidal Hasan, stating he would not watch it. Bipartisan congressional lawmakers condemned the plan as a barbaric spectacle, while President Donald Trump stated he will make the final decision on whether the military execution—the first since 1961—will be broadcast.
Debate over proposed execution livestream
- ▪Representative Andy Ogles supported Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's plan, calling the public execution of Nidal Hasan excellent
- ▪Vice President JD Vance expressed doubt that the execution of Fort Hood shooter Nidal Hasan would be livestreamed, stating he would not watch the livestream if it occurs
- ▪Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced that the scheduled December 3, 2026 execution of convicted Fort Hood shooter Nidal Hasan by firing squad would be publicly livestreamed
- ▪Republican lawmakers including Sen. Thom Tillis, Sen. John Curtis, and Rep. Austin Scott opposed livestreaming the execution of Fort Hood shooter Nidal Hasan, arguing public executions resemble actions by oppressive dictatorships and jihadists
Donald Trump's stance on livestreaming
- ▪President Donald Trump stated on October 10, 2026 that he will make the ultimate decision on whether to livestream Nidal Hasan's execution
- ▪President Donald Trump noted that showing the execution of Fort Hood shooter Nidal Hasan publicly might serve as a deterrent to prevent others from committing similar acts
Nidal Hasan's crime and conviction
- ▪During his 2013 trial, Nidal Hasan stated he carried out the Fort Hood mass shooting in response to U.S. wars in Afghanistan and Iraq
- ▪Former Army Maj. Nidal Hasan killed 13 people and injured 32 others in a November 2009 mass shooting at the Fort Hood processing center in Texas
- ▪Nidal Hasan was found guilty on 45 counts of premeditated murder and attempted premeditated murder by a military jury, and the Supreme Court denied his final petition in April 2025
Historical military executions
- ▪U.S. Army Pvt. Eddie Slovik was put to death in 1945 after he was court-martialed for desertion during World War II
- ▪If carried out, Nidal Hasan's execution will be the first U.S. military execution since Army Pvt. John Bennett was hanged in 1961 and the first by firing squad since Pvt. Eddie Slovik in 1945
Debatable claims
- ▪The Pentagon should livestream the execution of Nidal Hasan
- ▪Firing squad executions are a proportional response to military terrorism
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