Donald Trump has said he will make the final decision on whether the Fort Hood killer’s execution is livestreamed, appearing to step back from an earlier endorsement of the proposal.
Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth announced on Thursday that Nidal Hasan would be executed in a live broadcast. Hasan was sentenced to death after killing 13 people at Fort Hood in Texas in 2009 and wounding 20 others.
The proposal prompted widespread outrage, with critics condemning the Trump administration’s handling of the execution. But speaking to reporters at the White House on Saturday, Mr Trump said no final decision had been made.
“There are two thoughts: don’t show it and show it. Cause you know, by showing it, maybe other people won’t be doing what he did. So I’ll make a decision ultimately. I know what the military would like to do, but I’ll make a decision,” he said.
Mr Trump described Hasan as a “vicious killer” and said the former Army major had murdered 13 people “in cold blood” and wounded 20 others.
“Some of those people will never have their lives back in a true sense,” the president added.
His comments followed an endorsement of Mr Hegseth’s plan on Wednesday, when Mr Trump said Hasan “deserves it”. On Friday, he said the Pentagon was “making a determination” about whether the execution would be made public.
Mr Trump also said Hasan would be executed by firing squad, regardless of whether the broadcast went ahead. “I really don’t care how he goes, as long as he goes. And I think the death penalty is a very worthy way of going for him,” he said.
Mr Hegseth unveiled the proposal during an interview on Jack Posobiec’s podcast, saying it would be public “because people need to understand that there’s serious consequences for these types of things.”
