US President Donald Trump has cancelled plans to livestream the scheduled execution of former US Army psychiatrist Nidal Hasan, who killed 13 people in a 2009 shooting at Fort Hood, Texas.
Trump announced the decision on Thursday, following widespread criticism of the proposal from human rights groups and others in the United States and internationally.
US Plans To Livestream Execution Of Fort Hood Shooter
In a post on Truth Social, Trump said the execution would proceed as scheduled on December 3, 2026, by firing squad, but would not be broadcast online.
“Many very good and well meaning people would rather not watch him die,” he wrote, adding that he had initially viewed a livestream as a potential deterrent against terrorism.
Trump Reconsiders Livestream Of Fort Hood Killer’s Execution
Hasan fatally shot 13 unarmed military personnel and wounded 32 others at Fort Hood in November 2009. His planned execution would be the first US military execution in more than six decades.
Trump said victims’ families would still be permitted to witness the execution in person if they wished, adding that they “deserve to witness JUSTICE!”
The Pentagon had announced the livestream plan the previous week, prompting condemnation from human rights advocates. The United Nations described the proposal as “abhorrent”.
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth had defended the plan, arguing that people needed to understand the consequences of such attacks. Vice-President JD Vance had expressed uncertainty about whether the broadcast would take place and said he would not watch it.
According to Amnesty International, public executions remain rare globally. The organisation recorded 11 public executions in Iran in 2025 and six in Afghanistan.
