Former President Donald Trump called off plans to livestream the execution of Nidal Hasan, a U.S. Army psychiatrist convicted of killing 13 people at Fort Hood, Texas in 2009. According to the BBC, Trump said some individuals would "rather not watch" the killing.
The execution was set to be conducted by firing squad, marking the first military execution in over 60 years. Hasan was court-martialed for opening fire on soldiers at the Fort Hood military base, resulting in one of the deadliest mass shootings on a U.S. military installation.
Trump's initial proposal to livestream the execution had drawn attention as a novel approach to covering a significant legal proceeding. The decision to cancel the livestream reflects concerns about public appetite for witnessing such an event.
The execution represents a rare use of capital punishment within the U.S. military justice system. Military executions had not been carried out since 1961, making this case a notable development in military law and penalties.