Trump officials now leaning against execution livestream, sources say
Last week, the Pentagon had said the execution of the ex-Army major convicted of killing 13 in 2009 would be livestreamed.
Key points
- Trump officials now lean against livestreaming Nidal Hasan's Dec. 3 execution, sources say.
- Pentagon previously said public would view the firing squad execution live.
- Top Republicans and VP Vance oppose a live broadcast; Trump says 'We're looking at it.'
Trump administration officials are now leaning against livestreaming the execution of the former Army major convicted of killing 13 people at Fort Hood in 2009, sources familiar with the discussions told CBS News. The execution of Nidal Hasan by firing squad is scheduled for Dec. 3.
President Trump had not made a final decision as of Tuesday, two sources said. White House and Pentagon spokespeople did not immediately comment.
Earlier Pentagon position
Last week, the Pentagon said the public would be able to view the execution live. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said in an interview with Real America's Voice that the execution would be made public, saying, 'We'll make sure that people are able to watch it.'
Hegseth also said Hasan 'is going to get a firing squad of soldiers, as it should be.'
We'll make sure that people are able to watch it, that it's public — because people need to understand that there's serious consequences for these types of things.
— Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth
Republican opposition grows
Several top Republicans have recently expressed opposition to livestreaming the execution. Vice President JD Vance said that if it were broadcast live, 'I'm not going to be watching it.'
House Speaker Mike Johnson told CBS News' Robert Costa that colleagues have concerns, including that a video could become 'a recruiting tool for future terrorists.' Johnson said he would not watch and that he needs to tell the White House what some colleagues think.
CNN reported earlier Tuesday that Trump and his advisers were debating whether to air the execution live, and that Trump had remarked privately that he didn't initially know Hasan was paralyzed from the waist down. As Trump left for a campaign rally in Alaska on Tuesday, he told a reporter, 'We're looking at it.'
