President Donald Trump announced on Saturday that he has not yet decided whether to livestream the firing squad execution of convicted Fort Hood shooter Nidal Malik Hasan. This decision comes after the Pentagon confirmed that unlike any military execution in decades, Hasan’s would be both televised and set to occur on December 3.
Hasan, once an Army major, was found guilty of killing 13 people and injuring 32 others at Fort Hood in 2009. His execution marks the U.S. military’s first in over sixty years. “He was vicious, he was violent,” President Trump remarked at the White House when journalists questioned him on the execution’s broadcast status.
The veteran, who survived being shot seven times during the Fort Hood massacre, warns Americans against watching the execution.
While Trump acknowledges two perspectives, either showing or not showing the execution, he emphasized the potential deterrent effect of broadcasting it. “I’ll make a decision, ultimately,” Trump assured. Though he knows the military’s preference, he asserted that the final choice remains his.
Previously, Fox News Digital reported that Trump agreed to use an Army firing squad after a recommendation from War Secretary Pete Hegseth. Trump’s recent comments echoed uncertainty about whether he had signed off on the decision to livestream the execution.
Speaking to CNY Central, Trump addressed his lack of involvement in the initial choice for live broadcast but expressed understanding of the military’s hope for the execution to serve as a warning to others.
At the same time, Vice President JD Vance showed reluctance about the livestreaming, stating, “If it’s ultimately livestreamed, I’m not going to be watching it.”
The historical significance of Hasan’s execution is marked not only by the fact that it will be the first military execution since 1961 but also the first by firing squad since 1945.
Fox News Digital’s Jasmine Baehr contributed additional reporting.