Execution Livestream Canceled After Widespread Criticism
Death Sentence Will Still Be Carried Out
President Donald Trump has canceled plans to livestream the execution of Nidal Hasan, a former Army psychiatrist convicted of killing military personnel at a Texas base. Hasan is still scheduled to be executed by firing squad, but the event will not be shown online.
Trump had earlier approved the idea of broadcasting the execution. Vice-President JD Vance had questioned whether the livestream would take place and said he would not watch it.
After strong criticism from people in the United States and other countries, Trump changed course. He said many decent and well-meaning people would rather not watch Hasan die.
Trump also argued that showing the execution could have warned others about the serious punishment for terrorism and mass murder. Even so, he said the livestream would no longer happen.
Families May Attend in Person
The families of the victims will still be allowed to attend the execution in person if they choose. Trump said they deserve the chance to see justice carried out.
Hasan is expected to remain in military custody until the sentence is completed. His execution would be the first military execution in more than six decades.
The planned broadcast caused immediate concern among human rights advocates and other critics. An international organization described the idea as deeply unacceptable. Public executions are rare around the world, even though thousands of executions take place each year.
- More than 2,700 executions were carried out across 17 countries in one recent year.
- Only two countries were known to have carried out public executions.
- Eleven public executions took place in Iran, while six were carried out in Afghanistan.
Officials Defended the Original Plan
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had defended the decision to show the execution. He said people needed to understand that serious crimes bring serious consequences.
As public opposition grew, Trump gave mixed signals about the plan. He said he strongly supported the livestream, but also said defense officials were still deciding whether it would happen.
Trump described Hasan as mentally unstable and said he did not care how the execution was carried out as long as Hasan was put to death. He also called the death penalty an appropriate punishment for him.
A defense spokesperson said Hegseth had spoken with Trump before the president canceled the broadcast. The secretary supported the decision and remained fully aligned with the president, the spokesperson said.
Hasan’s Lawyer Criticized the Decision
John Galligan, a lawyer who works on civil matters for Hasan, said the cancellation was not surprising. He called the original plan to livestream an execution a serious mistake.
Galligan also said the plan appeared to conflict with Army rules. He argued that the decision had already harmed the military justice system, even though the livestream was canceled.
Hasan is paralyzed from the chest down. Galligan said Trump may not have known about Hasan’s condition when he approved the broadcast plan.
The lawyer said officials were now trying to repair the damage. He added that the controversy could remain a lasting stain on the military justice system.
It was not clear whether Hasan had been told about the change in the livestream plan.
The Attack at the Military Base
Hasan opened fire inside a crowded medical building where soldiers were waiting for health checks and vaccines before leaving for overseas service. Thirteen unarmed military personnel were killed, and 32 others were wounded.
The attack became the deadliest noncombat assault ever carried out at an American military base.
During his military trial, Hasan admitted that he was the shooter and apologized for what he called his mistakes. He said he believed he was protecting Muslims and the Taliban in Afghanistan from the American military.
The firing-squad execution remains scheduled. The major change is that the public will not be allowed to watch it through a livestream.