President Donald Trump has cancelled plans to livestream the firing squad execution of Nidal Malik Hasan, reversing an earlier announcement by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. Hasan is scheduled to be executed on December 3 at Fort Hood in Texas, where he killed 13 people and injured more than 32 others in a 2009 mass shooting.
The decision comes after significant bipartisan backlash from Republicans and Democrats, with many warning that the images could be used to fuel radicalization. Recent polls also showed that a majority of Americans were opposed to the livestreaming of the execution.
In a social media post, Trump argued that broadcasting the event might have been a strong deterrent to demonstrate how America deals with terrorists and scum, but noted that many well-meaning people would rather not watch Hasan die through streaming or any other visual device.
While the public broadcast has been shelved, Trump confirmed that Hasan will still be executed by firing squad as scheduled. He stated that the execution can be viewed in person by the immediate families of the victims if they so choose.