US President Donald Trump has reversed plans to livestream the scheduled execution of former Army psychiatrist Nidal Malik Hasan, ending a controversial proposal that drew criticism from lawmakers, religious leaders and other observers.
Trump announced the decision on Thursday, October 15, saying Hasan’s execution by firing squad would proceed as scheduled but would not be broadcast publicly.
The Pentagon had previously announced plans to make the execution available for livestreaming, prompting objections from both Republican and Democratic lawmakers.
Hasan was convicted of killing 13 people and injuring 32 others during the November 2009 shooting at Fort Hood, a US Army installation in Texas.
The attack remains one of the deadliest shootings at a US military base.
The proposal to broadcast the execution generated debate over military honour, the ethics of publicly displaying a state execution and the possibility that the footage could be used as propaganda or encourage further violence.
Vice-President JD Vance and other prominent figures expressed reservations about the proposed broadcast.
Trump had initially indicated support for livestreaming the execution, arguing that a public broadcast could serve as a deterrent. He later acknowledged concerns from people who did not want to watch the execution.
In announcing the reversal, Trump said the execution would still take place by firing squad, with the planned date remaining December 3, subject to any further legal developments.
The decision represents a reversal of the Pentagon’s earlier proposal and has renewed debate in the United States about capital punishment and the public broadcasting of executions.