US President Donald Trump has cancelled plans to livestream the execution of Nidal Hasan, a convicted military base shooter, following widespread backlash over the controversial proposal.
Trump announced the decision on Thursday, saying Hasan would still be executed by firing squad as scheduled on December 3, but the event would not be broadcast live.
The proposal, pushed by Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, drew strong opposition from both Democratic and Republican politicians, the Catholic Church, human rights organisations and the United Nations.
In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump said he did not personally oppose the livestream, arguing that showing the execution could deter terrorism.
However, he acknowledged that many people would prefer not to watch someone die.
Trump added that immediate family members of the victims could attend the execution in person if they wished.
The decision marks a setback for Hegseth, who had publicly supported making the execution available for public viewing.
Last week, he said the administration would ensure people could watch the event before later confirming that a livestream was being considered.
Hasan is scheduled to be executed at Fort Hood, Texas, where he killed 13 people in a 2009 shooting. If carried out as planned, his execution would be the first by firing squad in the US military since 1945.
The controversy comes as Hegseth faces mounting pressure over the ongoing Iran war and its economic and political fallout, with the conflict adding to challenges facing the Republican Party ahead of the midterm elections.
Reuter.
