Trump cancels livestream of Nidal Hasan firing-squad execution

Schedule and setting: Hasan is scheduled to be executed Dec. 3, 2026, at 1 p.m. Central Time at Fort Hood in Killeen, Texas, CNBC reported. Trump said immediate families of the victims may view the execution in person if they choose. Presidential approval is required for military executions under the Uniform Code of Military Justice.

How the livestream plan started: On Oct. 5 the Pentagon said Trump had approved Hegseth's recommendation to execute Hasan by an Army firing squad. On Oct. 8 Hegseth said the execution would be at Fort Hood and that "we'll make sure that people are able to watch it, that it's public," CNBC reported. The Pentagon later said it would be livestreamed. No other country is known to televise or livestream judicial executions, Reuters noted.

Backlash and public opinion: The plan drew bipartisan criticism. Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., called livestreaming "beyond disgusting," comparing public executions to practices in Iran and Afghanistan, CNBC reported. House Speaker Mike Johnson warned footage could become a "recruiting tool for future terrorists," Axios said. Survivors and Catholic military and U.S. bishops' leaders also objected. A Washington Post–ABC News–Ipsos poll released Thursday found 80% of Americans opposed livestreaming the execution, versus 18% in favor; about 53% supported executing Hasan by firing squad, CNBC and Axios reported.

Trump's stated reason: Trump called Hasan "a very bad and evil man" and said streaming "might have been a strong deterrent," but that "many very good and well meaning people would rather not watch him die, through streaming, or through any other visual device," according to the Truth Social text quoted by CNBC and Axios.

Pentagon response: Chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell told CNBC and Axios that Trump and Hegseth spoke about the decision before the Truth Social post. "The Secretary supports the President's decision, and they are completely aligned," Parnell said. Reuters described the episode as a rare public disagreement between Trump and Hegseth, even as the Pentagon stressed alignment. Reuters also cited unnamed sources saying Trump and advisers had been unaware of the livestream plan.

What remains unknown: Which platforms, if any, would have carried a livestream is unsettled; TikTok and Newsmax told Axios they would not allow execution streams or clips. It is also unclear whether Hasan will file a new legal challenge that could delay Dec. 3, and whether any in-person viewing rules for victims' families have been finalized.

Hasan's Dec. 3, 2026 execution time and Fort Hood location come from CNBC. Poll figures are from a Washington Post–ABC News–Ipsos survey as reported by CNBC and Axios (80% opposed livestreaming; about 53% support the firing-squad execution). The Pentagon "completely aligned" line is from spokesman Sean Parnell. Trump quotations are from his Truth Social post as carried by CNBC, Axios and Reuters. Spellings: Nidal Hasan / Nidal Malik Hasan.