US Vice-President JD Vance has expressed skepticism regarding the Pentagon's plans to livestream the execution of Nidal Hasan, the Fort Hood attacker. Vance stated to reporters, "I don't know that that's actually going to happen," and added, "if it's through live stream, I'm not going to be watching it." President Donald Trump later affirmed his support for the livestream plans, although he noted that the Pentagon was still determining the details.
Nidal Hasan was convicted of killing 13 unarmed soldiers and injuring 32 during the 2009 attack at Fort Hood, Texas. The planned execution by firing squad on December 3 would mark the first military execution in over 60 years.
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed that the execution would be livestreamed, stating, "People need to understand that there's serious consequences for these types of things." Trump, when asked about the potential for the execution visuals to be used as propaganda, remarked, "He killed 13, 14 people, badly wounded 20-some-odd people, and he's totally nuts. So I really don't care how he goes, as long as he goes, and I think that the death penalty is a very worthy way of going for him."
The Pentagon declined to provide further comments regarding the livestream decision. Vance referred to Hasan's attack as "the worst terrorist attack on American soil outside of 9/11" and questioned the appropriateness of livestreaming the execution, considering Hasan's role as a psychiatrist meant to help soldiers.
The announcement of the livestream has faced criticism from members of both political parties. Republican Senator John Curtis cautioned against public executions, stating they could corrupt viewers and diminish the solemnity of justice. Curtis emphasized that broadcasting a death could undermine the seriousness of the act.
Democratic Senator Chris Murphy described the idea as "disgusting" and reminiscent of executions by the Islamic State group. Republican lawmaker Austin Scott expressed support for the death penalty but opposed the idea of livestreaming, stating, "is what jihadists do. America is better than that."
John Bolton, a former national security adviser, criticized the livestream plan as unnecessary, suggesting that provisions already exist for interested parties to witness the execution in person.
The US Conference of Catholic Bishops condemned the decision, expressing "shock and great sorrow" in a statement. The UN human rights office indicated that livestreaming the execution would breach the prohibition of torture.
Hasan's attack occurred in a crowded medical building where soldiers were awaiting check-ups. He later admitted to being the shooter and expressed remorse for any mistakes, claiming he believed he was protecting Muslims from the US military. The attack on November 5, 2009, remains the deadliest non-combat incident on a US military base.
Military law requires presidential approval for military executions and mandates appellate review for legality. While over 2,700 executions occurred across 17 countries last year, only two nations conducted public executions. The Pentagon has reiterated that Hasan's execution "will be livestreamed," but further details remain undisclosed.
Social media platforms, including Meta, YouTube, and TikTok, have policies against broadcasting violent content, including capital punishment. A TikTok spokeswoman reiterated the platform's restrictions on graphic content, while other platforms did not respond to inquiries about their policies in the event of a government-sanctioned broadcast.