US President Donald Trump has called off plans to livestream the execution of former US army psychiatrist Nidal Hasan by firing squad. The reversal follows mounting criticism of the public display.
Trump had earlier said he approved of showing the death online. Vice-President JD Vance had cast doubt on whether the broadcast would happen and said he would not watch it himself. On Thursday, Trump said that “many very good and well meaning people would rather not watch him die.”
Trump explains why the streaming will not go ahead
Trump argued that broadcasting the execution to the world “might have been a strong deterrent” for anyone wanting to see how America deals with terrorists. He described Hasan as one of the “SCUM” the country had to confront. The decision marks a clear shift from his earlier position that the death could be shown online.
“He will die, as scheduled, by firing squad, but this event will not be streamed,” the president added.
Fort Hood attack and the planned execution
Hasan fatally shot 13 unarmed US soldiers at a military base in Texas in 2009 and injured another 32. If carried out, the firing squad would be the first military execution in more than 60 years.
The story is being updated, and more details are expected shortly.
