By Townhall Chicago News Staff
President Donald Trump reversed a plan by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to livestream the execution of former Army Maj. Nidal Hasan, who killed 13 soldiers in a 2009 mass shooting at Fort Hood, Texas, after bipartisan criticism in Congress.
Hasan’s execution by firing squad remains scheduled for Dec. 3, according to Fox News White House correspondent Jared Halpern. Hegseth had announced plans to broadcast the execution before Trump stepped in to stop it.
“Vice President JD Vance was among those who said he would not watch the execution, and several Republican lawmakers also raised concerns,” Halpern said.
Trump addressed the decision in a social media post, acknowledging the appeal of a public broadcast while deferring to critics.
“He thinks it might have been a strong deterrent for the world to witness how America deals with terrorists and scum,” Trump wrote, adding that “many very good and well-meaning people would rather not watch him die through streaming or any other visual device.”
Hasan opened fire at a Fort Hood processing center on Nov. 5, 2009, killing 13 people and wounding more than 30 others. He was convicted by a military court and sentenced to death. His execution date and method were confirmed under the current administration.
The reversal came the same day Hegseth’s streaming plan was announced, according to Halpern’s reporting. No new execution date change has been announced.
