A growing chorus of Republican lawmakers, religious leaders and survivors of the 2009 Fort Hood massacre are voicing strong opposition to a Pentagon proposal to publicly livestream the execution of convicted mass killer Nidal Hasan.
Hasan, an Army psychiatrist who fatally shot 13 people and wounded 32 others on the Texas military base, received a death sentence from a military court-martial in 2013. President Donald Trump signed off on the execution on Oct. 2, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth subsequently revealed plans to carry out the sentence by firing squad on Dec. 3, with the event streamed live for public viewing.
Congressional Pushback
The decision to broadcast the execution has provoked significant resistance on Capitol Hill, particularly among Republicans who warn the broadcast could serve as a propaganda victory for extremists. House Speaker Mike Johnson said several members of his conference have raised sharp concerns and that he intended to discuss the matter directly with the White House, CBS News reported.
“The concern would be that you would create a video that would be a recruiting tool for future terrorists,” Johnson said in an interview with CBS News, adding that he would not tune in if the broadcast airs.
Other congressional Republicans echoed those objections. Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska called on the Pentagon to abandon the plan, writing on social media that publicizing the death would grant Hasan the martyrdom he sought. Sen. Kevin Cramer of North Dakota released a statement asserting that capital punishment should never become public entertainment, while Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina characterized streaming the event as “beyond disgusting.”
Support among lawmakers remained rare. Rep. Andy Ogles of Tennessee stood as the sole Republican in Congress to publicly endorse the idea, writing on X that a public execution was appropriate for the shooter. Meanwhile, Vice President JD Vance told reporters on Friday that he would not watch the broadcast and questioned whether it would ultimately take place.
Survivors and Religious Leaders Speak Out
Survivors of the attack have expressed profound discomfort with turning the shooter’s death into a public broadcast, even as several said they supported his capital punishment.
Alonzo Lunsford, a retired soldier who survived seven gunshot wounds during the attack, said he intends to witness Hasan’s death in person to achieve closure. However, Lunsford told reporters he opposes broadcasting the event, warning against treating justice like a pay-per-view spectacle. Julia Wilson, a civilian survivor who was nine months pregnant when the attack began, told Fox News Digital that she feared an open livestream could inadvertently expose children to traumatic violence.
The Pentagon plan has also encountered fierce opposition from Catholic clergy. Archbishop Timothy Broglio, who heads the Archdiocese for the Military Services, urged Catholic service members assigned to the firing squad to request an exemption, calling the act contrary to church doctrine, Al Jazeera reported. Cardinal Blase J. Cupich of Chicago similarly condemned the proposal on social media as performative barbarism.
White House Weighs Final Decision
Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin defended the proposal during an appearance on CBS News, arguing that nobody is required to watch and insisting that the harsh display would demonstrate national resolve against attackers.
Trump offered conflicting accounts about his initial role in the livestreaming choice, initially saying he approved the measure before stating he had not participated in the determination. Over the weekend, the president suggested he had not yet finalized the policy.
“There are two thoughts: don’t show it and show it,” Trump told reporters on Saturday, adding that while he understood the military’s preferences, he would make the ultimate determination himself.
