Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) on Friday called on the Pentagon to abandon its decision to livestream the execution of Nidal Hasan, the former Army psychiatrist convicted in the 2009 Fort Hood shooting, arguing the move would grant the death-row inmate the martyrdom he has long sought.
"There is no need to livestream any execution, including this one," Murkowski wrote on X. "I would expect this from terrorists and dictators, but not here in America."
The Alaska Republican said Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's plan to broadcast Hasan's death by firing squad would have far-reaching consequences, including elevating a convicted mass murderer to global prominence. "It would give this individual, who deserves no further notoriety, the martyrdom he seeks," she said. "How we carry out justice matters just as much as the justice itself, so I urge the Pentagon to reverse this gruesome decision."
Murkowski's remarks add to a growing bipartisan backlash against Hegseth's plan to make Hasan's execution public. The execution is scheduled for Dec. 3 at Fort Hood in Texas.
Hasan, a former Army psychiatrist, was convicted in 2013 of killing 13 people and wounding 32 others in a shooting at the military base four years earlier. He was dismissed from the Army and sentenced to death — the first military execution in more than six decades. During his trial, Hasan reportedly told military mental health workers that he hoped to become a martyr if executed.
Hegseth confirmed Thursday that the execution would be open to the public and livestreamed. "We'll make sure that the 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," he said.
Murkowski joins GOP Sens. John Curtis (Utah) and Thom Tillis (N.C.) in opposing the broadcast. Tillis called the plan "beyond disgusting," while Curtis warned that livestreaming the execution risks turning capital punishment into entertainment.
Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) also condemned the move and called for Hegseth's immediate removal on Friday, comparing the planned broadcast to public executions carried out by U.S. adversaries Iran and the Taliban. Kelly's call for Hegseth's ouster is the latest sign of the political firestorm surrounding the Pentagon's decision.
The Pentagon has not yet responded to Murkowski's request. The execution would be the first military firing squad execution since World War II, adding another layer of controversy to an already polarizing decision.
