Donald Trump cancels plan for livestreamed executions

President Donald Trump has withdrawn a proposal to livestream the execution of Nidal Malik Hasan, the former U.S. Army major who carried out the 2009 Fort Hood shooting. The plan, initially advanced by conservative commentator Pete Hegseth, called for broadcasting the execution of the convicted gunman to the public.

The proposal sparked immediate and widespread criticism from a range of observers, including legal experts, human‑rights groups and members of the public, who argued that a televised execution would be inhumane and could set a troubling precedent. The backlash intensified after details of the plan were reported, prompting the White House to reassess its stance.

In response to the criticism, the president announced that the livestreaming idea would not be pursued. The decision effectively ends any effort to broadcast the execution, which was slated to take place after Hasan’s death sentence was carried out.

Nidal Malik Hasan was convicted for the Fort Hood attack in which he shot and killed 13 people and wounded more than 30 others. The incident remains one of the deadliest mass shootings on a U.S. military installation. Hasan’s sentencing and the subsequent discussions about his execution have continued to draw public attention and debate.

The cancellation reflects the administration’s shift away from the controversial suggestion, aligning with broader concerns about the propriety of publicizing capital punishment. No further details have been released regarding alternative methods for carrying out the sentence.