US President Donald Trump has ruled out livestreaming the execution of convicted military base shooter Nidal Hasan, abandoning a controversial proposal backed by Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth.
The plan to broadcast Hasan’s execution had drawn widespread condemnation from both Democratic and Republican lawmakers, the Catholic Church, human rights organisations and the United Nations.
The reversal comes as Hegseth faces mounting criticism over the stalled war with Iran and its consequences, which have also put pressure on the Republican Party ahead of the upcoming midterm elections.
In a post on Truth Social on Thursday, Trump said Hasan would be executed by firing squad as planned, but the proceedings would not be broadcast live.
While expressing support for the idea of televising the execution as a possible deterrent against terrorism, Trump acknowledged that many people would prefer not to witness the killing. He added that the victims’ immediate family members could attend the execution in person if they wished.
Hasan is scheduled to be executed on December 3 at Fort Hood, Texas, where he killed 13 people in a shooting rampage in 2009. The execution would mark the first time a US military firing squad has executed since 1945.
Hegseth had said last week that the administration would ensure the public could watch the execution, later confirming that the plan involved livestreaming the event.