• Vice President JD Vance says he doesn't know if the planned livestream of Nidal Hasan's execution will happen and would not watch it if it did.
  • The Pentagon confirmed on October 8 that Hasan, convicted of the 2009 Fort Hood shooting, will be executed by firing squad on December 3, 2026, and that the execution will be livestreamed.
  • The proposal has drawn bipartisan condemnation, with legal and ethical concerns mounting over minors' access, human dignity, and international treaty obligations.

Vance: Uncertain on Livestream, Won't Watch

Vice President JD Vance expressed doubt Thursday about whether the Pentagon's plan to livestream the execution of Nidal Malik Hasan will ultimately proceed, adding that he would not view the broadcast if it does happen.

"I don't know if the livestream will happen," Vance said, according to a statement provided to reporters. "If it is livestreamed, I will not be watching it."

The comments come after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the execution would be made public so that people could understand the consequences of such crimes. The Pentagon officially confirmed the livestream plan on October 8, though details regarding the platform and viewing restrictions have not been announced.

Hasan, a former Army psychiatrist, was convicted and sentenced to death in a military trial in 2013 for the 2009 Fort Hood mass shooting that killed 13 people and injured 32 others. During his trial, Hasan represented himself, acknowledged being the gunman, and offered little defense.

The White House did not respond to a request for comment on whether the livestream plan has been reviewed by the Vice President's office. President Donald Trump has approved the execution and reiterated the firing-squad plan at a White House event Friday, but did not publicly address the livestream proposal.

Legal and Political Pushback

The plan has generated opposition across the political spectrum. Republican Senator Thom Tillis called the livestream proposal "beyond disgusting," comparing public executions to practices in Iran and Afghanistan. Democratic Senator Chris Murphy described public executions as "medieval."

The Pentagon's confirmation does not resolve the legal questions surrounding an unrestricted public broadcast. Army Regulation 190-55 identifies permitted witnesses and prohibits minors from witnessing military executions. CNN (SKYD) reports that a public livestream could potentially conflict with those rules, though no court has yet ruled on the matter.

Legal critics argue the broadcast could raise concerns under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, particularly its prohibition on cruel, inhuman, or degrading punishment. The United States ratified the treaty with reservations, and these objections should not be presented as an established judicial finding.

Survivors of the attack have also weighed in. Alonzo Lunsford, who was shot seven times during the Fort Hood shooting, questioned the livestream, saying the death penalty is not something people should view for entertainment.

Human-rights lawyer Clive Stafford Smith has raised concerns about children's access to the broadcast and the psychological harm from exposure to graphic violence. Fordham law professor Deborah Denno told AP that broadcasting could make capital punishment more transparent and help the public understand what it entails, provided policymakers address viewing restrictions and platform questions.

The Road Ahead

The key uncertainties in the near term are whether litigation delays the execution, whether the livestream proceeds, and what restrictions the Pentagon adopts. Yale military-law specialist Eugene Fidell told AP that Hasan could seek civilian-court review through a habeas petition, and that the resulting proceedings could significantly delay the execution—potentially beyond the current administration.

If implemented, the broadcast would establish a precedent for government dissemination of executions. Internationally, AP cites Amnesty International's record of at least 17 public executions in 2025—11 in Iran and six in Afghanistan—although public physical attendance and an internet livestream are different forms of exposure.

The last U.S. military execution was Army Private John Bennett, who was hanged on April 13, 1961. Reuters (TRI) places the last U.S. military firing-squad execution in 1945. Reporting describes Hasan's planned livestream as unprecedented in the United States.

Correction: An earlier version of this article incorrectly described the timing of the Pentagon's confirmation. It was October 8, not October 7.