When the date of the firing squad for Fort Hood terrorist Nidal Hasan was announced, people begged for it to be televised. It seems they are getting their way.
The Pentagon says it will livestream the firing squad execution of Fort Hood shooter Nidal Malik Hasan https://t.co/TisLNavz6b
— philip lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) October 8, 2026
WASHINGTON (AP) — The firing squad execution of Fort Hood shooter Nidal Malik Hasan will be livestreamed, the Pentagon said Thursday, a stunning revelation about plans for the first military execution in more than 65 years after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had described it as being “public.”
The Army announced this week that the execution would take place at Fort Hood on Dec. 3 after Hasan was convicted of killing 13 people and injuring 32 others in a shooting at the military base in 2009.
Hegseth, speaking to the conservative TV outlet Real America’s Voice on Wednesday, said, “We’ll make sure that people are able to watch it, that it’s public.” Officials in the Pentagon clarified Thursday that the execution would be livestreamed and that more details would follow.
The revelation from Hegseth about the public nature of the execution — let alone one as violent as a firing squad — has raised further questions about how the death penalty is carried out in the U.S., especially after the botched lethal injection of Christa Pike in Tennessee.
He certainly didn't give any consideration to the violent deaths of the thirteen patriotic Americans he slaughtered who were simply serving their country.
Nidal Hasan is a paraplegic. He’s not going to look like a big scary terrorist. He’s going to look small and helpless as he sits in a wheelchair. The imagery of this is not going to play well with the public.
— Turnbull (@cturnbull1968) October 8, 2026
Some fear this may backfire because he can no longer stand. Oh well.
What’s the point of this?
— Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) October 8, 2026
Jemele Hill is mad about it, so that's an upside all in itself.
This don’t feel authoritarian/hitler like to y’all?
— kenya the podcaster ✨ (@KenyaTheHunter) October 8, 2026
No, it's military sentencing for killing fellow soldiers.
@Phil_Lewis_ The same people that have used Charlie Kirk’s assassination video as a meme are now really offended that we are live streaming the execution of an American traitor that killed US soldiers on US soil. Really should be eye opening for some of them in the comments.
— CJ (@S3ALES) October 8, 2026
They agree with the terrorists. It's not that hard to understand.
@Phil_Lewis_ this is incredible, he was a terrorist who murdered innocent people. this should have happened ages ago.
— poppy 🦋 (@notpopbase) October 8, 2026
He lived way too long after his crime, actually.
Hardly a person alive remembers the last public execution because it was so long ago.
— Israel is an Apartheid State (@RJPilkington) October 8, 2026
The last public execution in the United States was about 90 years ago. Maybe it would be better for everyone if we returned to that and criminals saw what might happen if you hurt other people.
Like a good livestreamed event there have to be sponsors: “Today’s execution is sponsored by BetterHelp. Have you been feeling angry and not sure what to do about it? Having thoughts of mass murdering people? Do you hate ‘The West’? Have you been feeling extra Jihadi lately? Maybe you should try Better Help.”
— Patrick Lockwood (@AlobhaPatric
Honestly, don't give them any idea. Heh.