Donald Trump cancels plan to livestream Fort Hood shooter execution

United States President Donald Trump announced on Thursday that the execution of Fort Hood shooter Nidal Malik Hasan will not be livestreamed, according to reporting from BBC News, France 24, and PBS NewsHour. Hasan is scheduled to be executed by firing squad on 3 December 2026 at Fort Hood in Texas. BBC News and France 24 reported that Trump canceled the public broadcast after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth previously proposed streaming it online. [1][2][4]

The decision to cancel the broadcast followed bipartisan opposition from United States lawmakers, as reported by The Guardian, PBS NewsHour, and DW. Democrat Senator Elissa Slotkin described the livestream proposal as sick, while Republican Senator John Curtis called the cancellation the right move for victims' families and the nation. PBS NewsHour noted that Vice President JD Vance had also stated he would not watch the event, with lawmakers warning the footage could fuel radicalization. [3][4][6]

BBC News reported that Trump acknowledged some people would rather not watch the execution, while DW added that families of the victims will still be permitted to view the execution in person. Trump previously approved the livestream concept and noted that the death penalty is a worthy outcome for Hasan, BBC News added. [1][6]

Hasan was convicted for a 2009 mass shooting at the Texas military post, where he killed 13 people, as reported by France 24. Outlets differed on the date error in related commentary, as The Guardian reported the incident occurred in 2019, while France 24 confirmed it took place in 2009. Fort Hood is a United States Army post located near Killeen, Texas. As FTMQ News reported earlier, Hasan was also convicted of injuring 32 others during the attack, and his upcoming execution will be the first military execution in over 60 years. [1][2][3][12][14]