Trump cancels livestream of Nidal Hasan’s firing squad execution after backlash

US President Donald Trump on Thursday cancelled plans to livestream the scheduled firing squad execution of Nidal Hasan the former US Army psychiatrist convicted of killing 13 people at Fort Hood in Texas in 2009 following widespread criticism of the proposal at home and abroad news agency AFP reportedHasanrsquos execution is scheduled for December 3 2026 at Fort Hood now known as Fort Cavazos The execution is set to be the first US military execution since 1961 and the first by firing squad since 1945In a post on his Truth Social platform on Thursday Trump confirmed that the execution would proceed as scheduled but would not be broadcast liveHasan will die as scheduled by firing squad but this event will not be streamed Trump saidThe US President indicated that he did not personally oppose the livestreaming proposal suggesting that broadcasting the execution could serve as a deterrent against terrorismHowever he acknowledged that many people opposed to broadcasting the execution had raised concernsMany very good and well meaning people would rather not watch him die Trump said adding that the immediate family members of the victims could attend the execution in person if they wishedThe decision marks a setback for Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth who had publicly backed the proposal to make the execution accessible to viewers Last week Hegseth said Well make sure that people are able to watch it that its publicHe later confirmed that the plan was to livestream the executionLivestreaming execution plan draws bipartisan criticismThe proposal sparked widespread opposition including from members of Trumps own Republican Party Democratic politicians the Catholic Church human rights groups and the United NationsUnited Nations SecretaryGeneral Antonio Guterres Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric criticised the prospect of broadcasting an execution describing it as ldquoabhorrentrdquoldquoA government executing someone in public or in front of live cameras frankly is abhorrentrdquo Dujarric saidRepublican Senator Thom Tillis also condemned the proposal calling it ldquobeyond disgustingrdquo and arguing that ldquopublic executions are what oppressive dictatorships like Iran and Afghanistan dordquo news agency IANS reportedAustin Scott a senior Republican member of the House Armed Services Committee similarly opposed the planldquoLivestreaming executions is what jihadists dordquo Scott said adding ldquoAmerica is better than thatrdquo He also clarified that he supported the death penaltyThe backlash put Hegseths proposal under scrutiny as the Trump administration faces pressure over the stalled war with Iran and its political fallout ahead of the US midterm electionsWho is Nidal HasanHasan was an Army psychiatrist who held the rank of major and was convicted by courtmartial for the November 5 2009 shooting at Fort Hood Texas The attack killed 13 people and wounded 32 othersHe did not contest his conviction and acknowledged carrying out the shooting describing himself as a ldquomujahideenrdquo He had also sent a communication to Abu Bakr alBaghdadi the late selfproclaimed ldquoCaliphrdquo of the Islamic StateHasan was sentenced to death in 2013 His scheduled execution by firing squad has renewed debate over capital punishment and the methods used to carry out executions in the United StatesThe death penalty remains in force in several US states although 23 of the 50 states have abolished it Permitted execution methods vary by jurisdiction and include lethal injection the electric chair and firing squadsAccording to the Death Penalty Information Center 47 people were executed across 11 US states last yearTrumps announcement means Hasans execution will proceed on the scheduled date but without the livestream that triggered widespread criticism from political leaders rights advocates and international organisationsWith AFP and IANS inputs