The US War Secretary, Pete Hegseth, has expressed his support for President Donald Trump's decision to cancel the livestream of the execution of Nidal Hasan, the perpetrator of the 2009 Fort Hood shooting.
What happened
Hasan, a former Army major and psychiatrist, was responsible for the deaths of 14 people, including an unborn baby, in the deadliest mass shooting at a military base in US history. Hegseth had initially announced plans to livestream the execution, but the decision was met with backlash from critics who argued it could make Hasan a martyr.
President Trump ultimately decided to cancel the livestream, citing concerns that many people would rather not watch the execution. Instead, only the immediate families of Hasan's victims will be allowed to observe the execution, which is scheduled to take place on December 3.
Hegseth stated that he agrees with the president's decision, recognizing that the deterrent effect of the execution will still be present regardless of whether it is livestreamed or not. The execution will be the first military execution by firing squad in the US since 1945.
