Republican lawmakers are sharply criticizing Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's decision to livestream the execution of former Army Maj. Nidal Hasan, the convicted Fort Hood shooter who killed 13 people in 2009. Several GOP members in both chambers argue the focus should be on delivering justice for the victims and their families, not turning the event into a public spectacle that they say mirrors the tactics of oppressive regimes.
Rep. Austin Scott (R-Ga.), a member of the House Armed Services Committee and a frequent critic of Hegseth's leadership, said Friday that while he supports the death sentence for Hasan, livestreaming the execution is "what jihadists do. America is better than that." Scott has previously clashed with Hegseth over the firing of Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George.
Rep. Rob Bresnahan (R-Pa.) echoed that sentiment, calling the planned broadcast a "spectacle" that would overshadow the real purpose of the proceeding. "Their pain deserves respect, not a public show," Bresnahan wrote on social media, urging that the focus remain on "justice for the victims and their families, not turning an execution into entertainment."
Hasan, a former Army psychiatrist, opened fire at the Fort Hood processing center in November 2009, killing 12 soldiers and one civilian and wounding 32 others. The attack, which ended when Hasan was shot and detained by civilian security officers, was the deadliest mass shooting on a U.S. military installation. Hasan, who is paralyzed from the waist down, admitted during his 2013 trial that he was the shooter, saying he acted in response to U.S. military operations in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Sen. John Curtis (R-Utah) invoked the Roman philosopher Seneca, warning that "Rome's bloody spectacles corrupted the people who watched them." Curtis argued that "a civilization erodes when it cultivates an appetite for executions as a form of entertainment," and he urged Hegseth to reconsider, stating that "the victims deserve justice administered with solemnity."
Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), who has called his vote to confirm Hegseth his "biggest regret" in politics, said Hasan should face the death penalty but described the livestream plan as "beyond disgusting." "Public executions are what oppressive dictatorships like Iran and Afghanistan do," Tillis said. "It should not be happening in America."
Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), who voted against Hegseth's confirmation, said there is no justification for broadcasting an execution. "It would give this individual, who deserves no further notoriety, the martyrdom he seeks," Murkowski wrote. "How we carry out justice matters just as much as the justice itself, so I urge the Pentagon to reverse this gruesome decision."
Hegseth's office declined to comment on the lawmakers' remarks, but the defense secretary has defended the plan, saying he wants the "harshest lawful punishment" for Hasan and that the public should be able to watch. Hegseth announced the decision during an interview with right-wing commentator Jack Posobiec, and some Republicans, including Rep. Andy Ogles (R-Tenn.), have praised it. Ogles called the public execution "excellent" and said, "We will be watching."
The execution, scheduled for Dec. 3 at 1 p.m. local time at Fort Hood, would be the first military execution in more than 60 years. Vice President Vance expressed skepticism that the livestream would actually happen, but said he would not watch if it does. "This is a guy who committed, in my view, the worst terrorist attack on American soil outside of 9/11," Vance said, adding that "whatever the controversy is about the method of the execution, I hope that people don't forget that this is a guy who brutally murdered a lot of innocent people."
President Trump, when asked about the livestream, initially said "we'll be making a determination on that," but moments later said "Absolutely" when asked if he approved. It remains unclear whether Trump was referring to the execution itself or the livestreaming. Meanwhile, defense-focused Democrats in both chambers have also slammed the decision, with some calling for Hegseth's ouster.
