President Donald Trump is pumping the brakes on Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s announcement that the execution of Fort Hood killer Nidal Hasan would be broadcast live, saying the final decision belongs to him.
Speaking to reporters at the White House on Saturday, Trump said he had not yet made up his mind about whether Americans would be able to watch the execution.
“There are two thoughts: don’t show it and show it,” Trump said.
He argued that broadcasting the execution could potentially serve as a deterrent.
“Cause you know, by showing it, maybe other people won’t be doing what he did,” Trump continued.
“So I’ll make a decision ultimately. I know what the military would like to do, but I’ll make a decision.”
Hasan, a former Army major and psychiatrist, was convicted in 2013 of 13 counts of premeditated murder and 32 counts of attempted murder stemming from the 2009 mass shooting at Fort Hood, Texas.
Trump described him as a “vicious killer” who murdered 13 people “in cold blood” and wounded many others.
“Some of those people will never have their lives back in a true sense,” Trump said.
The president’s latest remarks come after a series of mixed signals from the administration over how the execution will be handled.
Hegseth had announced Thursday that Hasan’s execution would be made public and livestreamed.
He argued that people needed to see that serious crimes carry serious consequences.
Hegseth said the firing-squad execution would reflect what he described as a World War II-era mentality centered on strength and defeating the enemy.
The announcement immediately triggered backlash.
Critics from both parties condemned the idea of broadcasting an execution.
The United Nations human rights office said a livestream would amount to a public execution and argued it would violate international prohibitions against torture.
Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy compared the concept to executions carried out by terrorist groups and called public executions “medieval.”
Republican Sen. Thom Tillis also rejected the proposal.
Tillis said public executions were associated with oppressive regimes and should not take place in the United States.
Other critics included Georgia Democrat Jon Ossoff and Archbishop Paul S. Coakley, who called the proposal “barbaric.”
Vice President JD Vance also appeared uncertain that the livestream would actually happen.
“I don’t know that that’s actually going to happen,” Vance told reporters Friday.
He added that if it did, he would not watch.
Trump himself had previously appeared to endorse the idea.
On Wednesday, he said Hasan “deserves it.”
On Friday, Trump said the Pentagon was still “making a determination” about the public aspect of the execution.
He also made clear that Hasan would be executed by firing squad regardless.
“I really don’t care how he goes, as long as he goes,” Trump said.
“And I think the death penalty is a very worthy way of going for him.”
A reporter then asked Trump whether he had authorized a livestream, per the Daily Mail.
Trump responded that he “absolutely” had.
By Saturday, however, the president was emphasizing that the ultimate decision had not yet been made.
Hasan’s execution is scheduled for Dec. 3 at 1 p.m.
He carried out the Fort Hood attack in November 2009, opening fire inside a medical processing center.
Hasan later said he targeted soldiers who were preparing to deploy to Afghanistan because he believed they were going to participate in an illegal war.
The attack left 13 people dead and dozens more wounded.
For now, the execution itself remains scheduled.
What remains unresolved is whether the public will be allowed to watch it live.
