In brief
In a sudden reversal, President Donald Trump cancelled the livestream of former U.S. Army psychiatrist Nidal Hasan’s execution by firing squad, following worldwide condemnation. Hasan, who killed 13 soldiers at Fort Hood in 2009, is scheduled to die on 3 December. Trump said that although the execution would proceed, it would not be broadcast, citing sensitivity and public sentiment. The Pentagon had initially announced an online broadcast, a move that drew sharp criticism from human rights groups and the United Nations. Human rights advocates argue that public executions violate international norms and that the U.S. should avoid setting a precedent.
President Donald Trump has withdrawn plans to livestream the firing‑squad execution of Nidal Hasan, the former Army psychiatrist who killed 13 soldiers at Fort Hood in 2009.
Trump had earlier indicated his approval of a public broadcast, but after substantial criticism from U.S. citizens, global leaders and human‑rights organisations, he announced that the execution would take place on the scheduled 3 December but would not be streamed online.
The decision came after the Pentagon’s initial announcement of an online feed, a move that was condemned by the United Nations and various civil‑society groups as a grave breach of international norms regarding public executions.
Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth had defended the original plan, arguing that it would help people understand the consequences of violent acts, but the president’s reversal has brought the Pentagon’s stance into question.
The firing squad is the first U.S. military execution in more than six decades, a procedure that requires the president’s approval and appellate review to confirm the legality of the death penalty.
Hasan, who claims to have acted to protect Muslims and Taliban fighters, is paralyzed from the waist down and was convicted of first‑degree murder in 2013.
United Nations officials described the proposal to livestream as “abhorrent,” and the U.S. has faced a broader debate over whether public executions serve as a deterrent or merely glorify violence.
While families of the 13 victims can still attend the execution in person, the broader public will be denied viewing the event, as President Trump said that “many very good and well‑meaning people would rather not watch him die.”
