Trump cancels livestream of Hasan execution after backlash
US President Donald Trump has called off plans to livestream the execution of former US army psychiatrist Nidal Hasan by firing squad. The execution is still scheduled to take place on 3 December, but the event will not be shown online. Trump said the families of the victims may still view it in person if they choose.
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The reversal follows widespread criticism in the United States and abroad after the Pentagon announced that Hasan's execution would be livestreamed. The United Nations described the plan as "abhorrent", while human rights groups and political figures raised concerns about the implications of broadcasting a state killing. Trump had previously backed the idea, saying it could serve as a deterrent, but later said that "many very good and well meaning people would rather not watch him die".
Hasan was convicted over the 2009 shooting at Fort Hood in Texas, where he fatally shot 13 unarmed US soldiers and injured another 32. The planned execution would be the first military execution in more than 60 years, making the case unusual even within the US justice system. The decision to abandon the livestream does not alter the sentence itself, but it removes the most controversial part of the Pentagon's original plan.
The row has drawn attention because it sits at the intersection of military justice, public punishment and counterterrorism messaging. Supporters of the livestream argued that it would underline the consequences of mass violence, while critics said it risked turning an execution into a public spectacle. The debate also revived discussion of how the US handles cases linked to domestic terrorism and the legacy of the post-9/11 security environment.
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The Fort Hood attack remains one of the most significant mass shootings involving US military personnel on American soil. Hasan later became a symbol in political arguments over intelligence failures, radicalisation and the handling of threats before violence occurs. Trump's comments also referenced the earlier FBI review of Hasan's communications with the radical cleric Anwar al-Awlaki, a detail that has long featured in those debates.
The Pentagon's original announcement prompted criticism from across the political spectrum, including from Vice-President JD Vance, who said he would not watch the execution. In Australia, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the government was exploring ways to prevent the stream from being shown there. That international reaction helped turn what would have been a domestic military justice matter into a broader diplomatic and human rights issue.
What remains unclear is how the execution will be handled on the day itself and what access, if any, will be granted to victims' families and other authorised observers. It is also not yet clear whether the Pentagon will issue further guidance after the livestream plan was dropped. For now, the sentence remains in place, but the most contentious element of the original announcement has been withdrawn.
President Donald Trump made multiple posts on Truth Social in the last hour: Army Major turned traitor, is a very bad and evil man, who killed 13 people, including a pregnant soldier, who died, along with her unborn son, and injured, very seriously, 32 more innocent people. Barack Hussein Obama's Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) intercepted electronic communications between Hasan and the radical Yemeni-American cleric, Anwar al-Awlaki.
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When reviewed by his FBI terrorism task force, investigators concluded that Hasan's emails were not a threat. This assessment of the Obama Administration's actions was later considered to be a key intelligence failure.
With all of that being said, I think streaming the execution for all to see might have been a strong deterrent for the World to witness how America deals with Terrorists and SCUM like Hasan but, many very good and well meaning people would rather not watch him die, through streaming, or through any other visual device. He will die, as scheduled, by firing squad, but this event will not be streamed.
That said, the execution may be viewed in person by the immediate families of the victims, if they so choose. Thank you for your attention to this matter." - "Actual pictures of our fully renovated White House facade, facing South, with the new South Entrance, and Heliport!
Over the years, the facade, both North and South, suffered tremendous wear, tear, and damage. The exterior walls and ornamentation, both missing and in bad condition, has been fully restored to the Highest Level, giving the White House many decades of additional life!
It had to be done, and I am very proud to be the President who did it! Likewise, the Ballroom and Military Complex, is on time, and on budget, and will make an unbelievably beautiful addition, the first since the West Wing in 1901, to the White House." - "I'm heading to Montana for a "PACKED HOUSE" Speech.
It's broadcast LIVE on Right Side Broadcasting Network (RSBN), What a great job they do. See you soon!" - "I'm watching Right Side Broadcasting Network (RSBN) from Air Force One.
They do a magnificent job of covering the Rallies, including the Interviews of people in lines that stretch for miles. So fascinating to see, So exciting!
I love the Interviews they do of the people that are in line. Great Americans, They built this Country!
There is Great Love and Respect in the air. Landing in Arizona now, then Montana.
Explanation:
President Donald Trump made multiple posts on Truth Social in the last hour: Army Major turned traitor, is a very bad and evil man, who killed 13 people, including a pregnant soldier, who died, along with her unborn son, and injured, very seriously, 32 more innocent people. Barack Hussein Obama's Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) intercepted electronic communications between Hasan and the radical Yemeni-American cleric, Anwar al-Awlaki.
When reviewed by his FBI terrorism task force, investigators concluded that Hasan's emails were not a threat. This assessment of the Obama Administration's actions was later considered to be a key intelligence failure.
With all of that being said, I think streaming the execution for all to see might have been a strong deterrent for the World to witness how America deals with Terrorists and SCUM like Hasan but, many very good and well meaning people would rather not watch him die, through streaming, or through any other visual device. He will die, as scheduled, by firing squad, but this event will not be streamed.
That said, the execution may be viewed in person by the immediate families of the victims, if they so choose. Thank you for your attention to this matter." - "Actual pictures of our fully renovated White House facade, facing South, with the new South Entrance, and Heliport!
Over the years, the facade, both North and South, suffered tremendous wear, tear, and damage. The exterior walls and ornamentation, both missing and in bad condition, has been fully restored to the Highest Level, giving the White House many decades of additional life!
It had to be done, and I am very proud to be the President who did it! Likewise, the Ballroom and Military Complex, is on time, and on budget, and will make an unbelievably beautiful addition, the first since the West Wing in 1901, to the White House." - "I'm heading to Montana for a "PACKED HOUSE" Speech.
It's broadcast LIVE on Right Side Broadcasting Network (RSBN), What a great job they do. See you soon!" - "I'm watching Right Side Broadcasting Network (RSBN) from Air Force One.
They do a magnificent job of covering the Rallies, including the Interviews of people in lines that stretch for miles. So fascinating to see, So exciting!
I love the Interviews they do of the people that are in line. Great Americans, They built this Country!
There is Great Love and Respect in the air. Landing in Arizona now, then Montana.
The most geopolitically significant signal in the batch is the execution post, because it reinforces a hard-line national security and counterterrorism posture and highlights a high-profile domestic terrorism case that remains tied to the broader legacy of the post-9/11 threat environment. The reference to Nidal Hasan, Anwar al-Awlaki, and the FBI assessment under the Obama administration reopens a long-running political argument about intelligence failure, threat classification, and how the U.S. should publicize punishment in terrorism cases.
The decision not to stream the execution still signals an appetite for maximal deterrence messaging, while the family-only viewing option underscores a punitive approach aimed at victims and public symbolism rather than rehabilitation. Historically, Hasan's Fort Hood attack became one of the most prominent domestic jihadist cases in modern U.S. history, and Awlaki later became a central figure in U.S. counterterrorism operations.
Trump's language shows continued willingness to frame terrorism through spectacle, justice, and blame attribution to prior administrations. While this does not directly change military posture abroad, it is a useful signal for how the administration wants to project strength on terrorism, and it may resonate with security audiences, veterans, and voters who favor retributive counterterrorism policy.
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