Trump says Pentagon will not livestream Fort Hood shooter's execution
The reversal follows bipartisan criticism and comes less than three weeks before U.S. midterm elections.
Explainer
U.S. President Donald Trump announced Thursday that the Pentagon will not livestream the upcoming execution of Fort Hood shooter Nidal Malik Hasan. Trump said on social media that while publicly airing the execution "might have been a strong deterrent for the World to witness how America deals with Terrorists and SCUM like Hasan," many people would rather not watch. The Pentagon has said Hasan's execution by firing squad is scheduled for Dec. 3. Trump said the execution can be viewed in person by immediate families of the victims, "if they so choose." Pentagon chief spokesperson Sean Parnell said Trump and Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth discussed the decision before the announcement.
The reversal follows significant bipartisan criticism of the plan announced earlier this month by Hegseth. Many lawmakers and experts warned the images could be used to fuel radicalization. Vice President JD Vance, who is Catholic, had said he would not watch a livestream. "Now, that said, I mean, look, if it's ultimately livestreamed, I'm not going to be watching it," Vance said. The head of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, Archbishop Paul S. Coakley, had condemned the plan as a "barbaric promotion of a culture of death and must be reconsidered." Other top Republicans, including House Speaker Mike Johnson, voiced similar opposition.
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Why was the livestream plan cancelled?
The decision to cancel the broadcast came after the announcement faced intense public and political blowback. Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth supports Trump's decision and they are "completely aligned." The cancellation comes less than three weeks before elections to determine whether Republicans retain control of Congress. Senator John Curtis, a Republican from Utah, called the cancellation "the right move" in a statement. The controversy also emerged as capital punishment faced renewed scrutiny after a botched execution attempt in Tennessee left inmate Christa Pike badly injured and requiring hospitalization.
What did Trump previously say about the execution?
Trump had defended his decision to approve the use of a firing squad but had distanced himself from Hegseth's announcement that it would be public. When asked about the livestream last Friday, Trump said, "Well, they're making a determination about that." He added, "He will be killed. He will be, through firing squad. I really don't care how he goes, as long as he goes. And I think the death penalty is a very worthy way of going for him." Defence Secretary Hegseth had initially argued that broadcasting the execution was needed to ensure people understand "there's serious consequences for these types of things."
Who is Nidal Malik Hasan and what did he do?
Nidal Malik Hasan is a former Army psychiatrist who held the rank of major. He was convicted of killing 13 people and injuring 32 others on Nov. 5, 2009, at the Fort Hood military base in Texas. On that day, he walked into a medical building where soldiers were waiting to receive immunizations and medical clearance for deployment. He shouted "Allahu akbar", Arabic for "God is great!", and opened fire with a laser-sighted handgun, also shooting at soldiers fleeing toward the parking lot. Hasan said it was an effort to stop them from going to Afghanistan and killing his fellow Muslims. A military judge barred him from presenting that as a defence during his 2013 trial.
How unusual is this military execution?
Hasan's execution would be the first military execution in more than six decades. The U.S. military has not executed a service member by firing squad since the Second World War. The last military execution took place on April 13, 1961, when Army Pvt. John Bennett was executed by hanging. Hasan was left paralyzed from the waist down after being shot in the back by law enforcement during the 2009 attack and now uses a wheelchair. He could seek a lengthy delay of his execution, though given his behaviour at trial, he may not want to. An attorney representing Hasan could not immediately be reached for comment.
With files from CityNews, CBC News and Global News