Trump Says They’re Making a Determination on Hasan Livestream
Cyberzenhub.com – Trump says they’re making a determination about whether former Army Maj. Nidal Hasan’s planned execution will be livestreamed, while reaffirming his support for the death sentence. Hasan was convicted in the 2009 Fort Hood, Texas, attack that killed 13 people and wounded 32 others.
Hasan described the shooting as an act of jihad. If the execution proceeds as planned, it would be the first military execution since 1961 and the first military execution by firing squad since 1945.
Asked whether the public should be able to watch, Trump did not give a final answer on a broadcast. “They’re making a determination about that,” he said.
“He killed 13, 14 people, badly wounded 20 some-odd people. And he’s totally nuts. So I really don’t care how he goes as long as he goes.”
Vance Questions Whether a Broadcast Will Happen
Vice President JD Vance said he was unsure whether a livestream would ultimately occur, despite Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s confirmation of a plan to make the execution available for viewing. Vance stressed the gravity of Hasan’s crimes but said he would not watch a broadcast.
“I hope people don’t forget that this is a guy who brutally murdered a lot of innocent people,” Vance said. “Now that said, I mean, look, if it’s all through livestream, I’m not going to be watching it.”
The White House referred questions about public viewing of the execution to the Pentagon. Trump later repeated his support for execution by firing squad while discussing tougher criminal penalties, but he did not directly address the livestream proposal.
Trump says they’re making a determination on the public-access question, leaving the Pentagon to resolve whether the planned execution can be viewed remotely.
Republicans Criticize the Livestream Proposal
Several Republican lawmakers and former administration officials have separated their support for Hasan’s sentence from their objections to broadcasting it. Their concerns center on the possibility that a public execution could become propaganda or create a spectacle around an act of mass violence.
Joe Kent, a former senior Trump administration official who resigned as director of the National Counterterrorism Center in March over the Iran war, warned that extremist groups could exploit a broadcast to recruit and radicalize others.
“Streaming his execution is not just a stain on our morality — it also gives the terrorists free propaganda that they will use to radicalize & recruit more terrorists like Hassan,” Kent wrote.
Outgoing Republican Sen. Thom Tillis also condemned the prospect of a public execution, while Rep. Austin Scott said he supports the death sentence but opposes livestreaming it.
“Public executions are what oppressive dictatorships like Iran and Afghanistan do. It should not be happening in America,” Tillis said.
A Rare Case in U.S. Military Justice
The planned execution would be an exceptional event in the modern military justice system. Military executions have been rare for decades, and a firing squad has not been used by the military since the end of World War II.
For Fort Hood survivors, victims’ relatives and the broader military community, the case remains linked to one of the deadliest attacks on a U.S. military installation. The livestream debate raises a separate question about whether public access would promote accountability or transform punishment into a spectacle.
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Trump say about livestreaming Hasan’s execution?
Trump says they’re making a determination about whether the execution will be livestreamed. He has supported the death sentence but has not given a final position on public viewing.
Why is the execution historically significant?
If carried out as planned, it would be the first military execution since 1961 and the first military execution by firing squad since 1945.
Why are some Republicans opposed to a livestream?
Critics have argued that broadcasting the execution could be used as extremist propaganda and would be inconsistent with American values, even if they support Hasan’s sentence.
