Trump cancels livestream of Fort Hood shooter's execution

President Donald Trump said Nidal Hasan's firing-squad execution would not be livestreamed, canceling a plan Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced the previous week. In a Truth Social post, Trump said the execution would take place as scheduled and that immediate families of the victims could witness it in person if they chose. [ 4 , 5 , 10 , 11 , 13 ]

Trump said publicly showing the execution might have served as a deterrent but acknowledged that many people would rather not watch. The plan had prompted criticism from Republicans and Democrats. CBS News and PBS reported concerns that broadcasting the execution could fuel radicalization, while NBC News said other critics viewed a public execution as contrary to American values. [ 4 , 10 , 16 ]

Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said Trump and Hegseth discussed canceling the livestream before the president's announcement. He said the defense secretary supported the decision and that the two were aligned. ABC News reported that the Pentagon had maintained earlier in the week that the livestream would proceed. [ 4 , 11 ]

Hasan, a former Army major, was convicted of killing 13 people and wounding 32 in the 2009 shooting at Fort Hood, Texas, according to NBC News and ABC News. The execution is scheduled for December 3 at the same base. CBS News and CNBC reported a scheduled time of 1 p.m.; CNBC specified Central Time. [ 4 , 5 , 10 , 11 ]

CNBC and CNN cited an ABC News/Washington Post/Ipsos poll released Thursday showing 80% opposition to livestreaming the execution. NBC News and CNN also reported that officials said Trump had not initially known Hasan was paralyzed; NBC News said a White House official linked that information to his decision against the livestream. [ 5 , 10 , 13 ]