The United States military plans to livestream the execution of former Army psychiatrist Nidal Malik Hasan, who was convicted of killing 13 people in a 2009 shooting at Fort Hood, Texas.
Hasan is scheduled to be executed on December 3, 2026, following President Donald Trump’s approval of the death sentence.
The Pentagon confirmed on Thursday, October 8, that the execution would be broadcast live, although details of the planned transmission have not been released.
The decision has sparked widespread debate over the public broadcasting of executions, with critics questioning whether the move is appropriate for a country whose executions are ordinarily conducted away from public view.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed the plan, saying the public would be able to watch the execution.
The announcement has drawn criticism from lawmakers, religious leaders and human rights advocates, some of whom argue that broadcasting the punishment risks turning it into a public spectacle.
If carried out as planned, the execution would be an unprecedented event in modern US history.
Hasan’s execution is also expected to mark the first time the US military has carried out an execution since 1961.
It would be the military’s first execution by firing squad since 1945.
The planned broadcast has raised additional questions about how the government would regulate access to the footage and whether television networks could retransmit the live feed.
Vice President JD Vance expressed reservations about the proposal, saying he would not watch the execution if it were livestreamed.
However, he stressed that the victims of the 2009 attack should not be forgotten amid the controversy.
Hasan, a former US Army major, was convicted in 2013 on 45 counts of murder and attempted murder in connection with the Fort Hood shooting.
He killed 13 people and wounded 32 others in the attack at the military installation.
The shooting occurred on November 5, 2009, when Hasan opened fire at a medical processing facility at the base.
The attack shocked the United States and prompted renewed scrutiny of security procedures and the handling of warning signs within the military.
Hasan was sentenced to death after his court-martial, becoming one of the few US military prisoners awaiting execution.