Trump Cancels Livestream of Fort Hood Shooter's Execution Amid Global Backlash

US President Donald Trump has canceled plans to livestream the execution of Nidal Malik Hasan, the former Army psychiatrist convicted in the 2009 Fort Hood shooting, after facing widespread international criticism. The decision reverses an announcement made by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth last week, which sparked swift condemnation from human rights organizations, the United Nations, lawmakers across both parties, and 80 percent of Americans surveyed by ABC News.

Hasan was convicted of killing 13 unarmed military personnel and wounding more than 30 others in the November 2009 shooting at the Fort Hood military base in Texas. He will be executed by firing squad as scheduled on December 3, 2026—the first military execution in the United States since World War II and the first death penalty imposed on an active-duty service member in 65 years. Hasan is paralyzed from the waist down, a result of being shot by law enforcement during the 2009 shooting, and uses a wheelchair.

Trump stated on Thursday that while "streaming the execution for all to see might have been a strong deterrent," he acknowledged that "many very good and well meaning people would rather not watch him die." The president told reporters he was unaware of Hasan's physical condition when initially approving Hegseth's livestream proposal. Trump also cited concerns that broadcasting the execution could serve as propaganda for terrorist groups and foreign adversaries seeking to portray Hasan as a martyr. The Pentagon subsequently confirmed that Trump and Hegseth spoke before the decision and are "completely aligned."

Criticism of the livestream plan came from diverse quarters. The United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights called public broadcasting of the execution "abhorrent" and said it would breach prohibitions against torture. US lawmakers including Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski and Representative Rob Bresnahan opposed the plan, with Murkowski stating she would "expect this from terrorists and dictators, but not here in America." The US Conference of Catholic Bishops condemned the announcement as "a barbaric promotion of a culture of death." Vice President JD Vance had cast doubt on the livestream happening and said he would not watch it.

Hegseth initially defended the plan, stating that "people need to understand that there's serious consequences for these types of things." However, according to CNN reporting, Trump was not fully informed when Hegseth announced the livestream decision. Despite canceling the broadcast, Trump remains firmly committed to the execution proceeding as scheduled. The immediate families of victims will be permitted to view the execution in person if they choose.