Plans to broadcast a military execution live from Fort Hood collapsed after US President Donald Trump stepped in, shelving a Pentagon proposal that had sparked blowback from Republicans, religious leaders and the wider public.
The decision halts a plan to livestream the 3 December firing-squad execution of Nidal Hasan, the former Army major convicted of killing 13 people in the 2009 attack at the Texas base.
The reversal also exposed a rare public break between Mr Trump and Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, one of the president’s closest allies, even as the Pentagon insisted the two remain “completely aligned.”
Mr Hegseth had publicly outlined an intention to stream the execution from Fort Hood, the site of the shootings. No other country is known to televise or livestream judicial executions.
A White House official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Mr Trump and his advisers had not been aware the livestream plan was in motion.
In a social media post, Mr Trump said he believed broadcasting the execution could have served as a deterrent, but acknowledged widespread discomfort with the idea.
“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,” Mr Trump wrote.
“He will die, as scheduled, by firing squad, but this event will not be streamed.”
As is typical in US executions, families of Hasan’s victims will be permitted to witness the execution in person if they choose.
The Pentagon’s livestream concept drew criticism from within Mr Trump’s own party — including Vice President JD Vance — and condemnation from religious leaders. Opinion polling showed a majority of Americans opposed the idea.
Nidal Hasan was found guilty in a military trial of killing 13 people at Fort Hood in Texas in 2009
Archbishop Timothy Broglio, who oversees pastoral care for Catholic members of the US armed forces, raised objections as well. Pope Leo has condemned capital punishment in all its forms.
An attorney for Hasan could not immediately be reached for comment. It was not clear whether legal challenges might delay the scheduled 3 December execution date.
A split with Hegseth
The episode marked Mr Trump’s first major public split with Mr Hegseth, a key Trump ally.
Still, it remained uncertain whether the disagreement would carry political consequences for the defence secretary given their close relationship.
In a statement, the Pentagon said Mr Trump spoke with Mr Hegseth before the president announced the change on Truth Social.
“The Secretary supports the President’s decision, and they are completely aligned,” said Sean Parnell, the Pentagon’s chief spokesman.
The controversy unfolded as capital punishment in the US faces renewed scrutiny. Last month, Tennessee’s attempted execution of Christa Pike — convicted of murder in the 1990s — failed after two lethal injections, leaving her badly injured and requiring hospitalization.
Trump seeks death penalty for anyone who kills firefighter
Hasan, a former US Army psychiatrist, was convicted by a military jury of premeditated murder after prosecutors said he opened fire inside a medical facility on the sprawling base, killing 13 unarmed soldiers and wounding 32 others.
During the attack, law enforcement shot Hasan, paralysing him from the waist down. He uses a wheelchair.
Mr Hegseth had argued that broadcasting the execution would underscore accountability, saying it was important people understand “there’s serious consequences for these types of things.”
The political backdrop remains tense. Midterm elections on 3 November will decide whether Republicans keep control of Congress, as opinion polls show voters increasingly registering disapproval of Trump’s policies.
Senator John Curtis, a Republican from Utah, welcomed the cancellation, calling it “the right move” in a statement.
US Representative Richard Neal, a Democrat from Massachusetts, denounced the original livestream proposal as “a profound failure of moral judgment and basic human decency.”
Separately, President Trump said he wants the death penalty for anyone who kills a firefighter.
Mr Trump, who has previously urged capital punishment for anyone convicted of killing a police officer, made the remarks during a White House Rose Garden lunch honoring firefighter organizations.
He said he had instructed the Justice Department to pursue the death penalty in such cases, specifically “anybody that murders a firefighter going up a ladder.”
