BREAKING: Trump cancels planned livestream of Fort Hood shooter Nidal Hasan’s execution 

President Donald Trump said Thursday the government will cancel its plan to livestream the execution of Fort Hood shooter Nidal Malik Hasan, reversing course on War Secretary Pete Hegseth’s announcement last week.

“I think streaming the execution for all to see might have been a strong deterrent for the World to witness how America deals with Terrorists and SCUM like Hasan but, many very good and well meaning people would rather not watch him die, through streaming, or through any other visual device,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “He will die, as scheduled, by firing squad, but this event will not be streamed.”

Hasan, a former U.S. Army major, carried out a mass shooting at Fort Hood, Texas, in November 2009, killing 13 people, including a pregnant soldier, and injuring 32 others. Trump said the immediate families of the victims would still be able to view the execution in person, adding that they “deserve to witness JUSTICE” if they choose.

Hegseth announced the plan to livestream the firing squad execution last week.

“It was a radical Islamist attack in uniform, inside the ranks, and so he’s going to get a firing squad by soldiers as it should be,” he told Real America’s Voice. “We’ll make sure that people are able to watch it, that it’s public, because people need to understand that there’s serious consequences for these types of things.”

Chief Pentagon Spokesman Sean Parnell said Trump and Hegseth “spoke about the decision to not livestream Hasan’s execution ahead of the Truth Social announcement.”

“The Secretary supports the President’s decision, and they are completely aligned,” he told Heartlander News.

Hasan will be the U.S. military’s first execution since 1961, as Heartlander News previously reported, noting that the military last used a firing squad in 1945.

The plan to livestream the execution faced fierce pushback from religious groups, including the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, which said “In no way can Hasan’s actions be condoned but this decision is a barbaric promotion of a culture of death and must be reconsidered.”

Although a majority – 53% – of Americans support executing Hasan by firing squad, an overwhelming majority – 80% – opposed livestreaming the execution, according to a Washington Post, ABC News and Ipsos poll released Thursday.

Top Republicans, including House Speaker Mike Johnson, also expressed concerns that the livestream could be used as a recruiting tactic by jihadists and future terrorists.

In the initial days following Hegseth’s announcement, Trump appeared undecided about whether to allow the livestream to proceed. He reposted an article on Truth Social about a Dallas pastor who supported the livestream, but also told reporters Saturday that he was still weighing the idea.

“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 at the White House.