Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's plan to let the public watch the firing squad execution of Fort Hood shooter Nidal Hasan has drawn criticism from both parties. CNN reports that the backlash came quickly after Hegseth confirmed on Thursday, October 8, that the execution would be livestreamed. Many critics say they support the death penalty for Hasan and object only to making it public.

What Hegseth Said

Hegseth told Real America's Voice that "we'll make sure that people are able to watch it, that it's public." He said the execution is set for December 3 at 1 p.m. at Fort Hood, the hour of the 2009 attack, and that "soldiers with rifles" will carry it out. He said "people need to understand that there's serious consequences for these types of things." President Trump approved the firing squad earlier this week, and Acting Army Secretary Adam Telle set the date.

Who Is Criticizing the Plan

  • Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.): said Hasan should face the death penalty but called livestreaming it "beyond disgusting," adding that public executions are what dictatorships like Iran and Afghanistan do.
  • Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.): said he supports the death penalty but called public execution "medieval" and asked whether Hegseth is mimicking ISIS executions.
  • Rep. Austin Scott (R-Ga.): said he supports the sentence but that livestreaming executions is "what jihadists do."
  • Archbishop Paul Coakley: the president of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops said Hasan should face the death penalty but objected to making it public and streaming it. Rolling Stone's headline described his condemnation as calling the plan "barbaric."

Vance Appears to Contradict Hegseth

Vice President JD Vance suggested on Friday that the government would not livestream the execution, which NBC News described as contradicting Hegseth. He added: "if it's ultimately livestreamed, I'm not going to be watching it." He also urged people not to forget that Hasan "brutally murdered a lot of innocent people."

Trump's Response

Trump defended the decision to use a firing squad on Friday, complaining at a White House speech that criminals today can do "almost anything and nothing happens." The sources I found do not show him addressing the livestream itself.

The Case in Support

Supporters of Hegseth's approach argue that Hasan, who killed 13 people, deserves the harshest sentence. They say publicity makes the punishment a visible deterrent. Hardline conservative Joe Kent, a veteran and former counterterrorism official, said Hasan deserves the death penalty and that a firing squad is merciful given his crimes. Kent's comments were about the sentence rather than the livestream.

Open Questions

  • Whether the execution will be livestreamed after all, given Vance's remarks.
  • What "public" means in practice: a stream, a broadcast or physical attendance.
  • Whether the plan complies with Army Regulation 190-55, which governs military executions. AP reports that it does not provide detailed instructions for firing squads.

Key Takeaways

  • Criticism spans both parties and focuses on the public nature of the execution, not on Hasan's death sentence.
  • The administration's own messaging is mixed after Vance's comments.
  • Hasan's execution is scheduled for December 3.