Pete Hegseth’s plan to livestream execution of Nidal Hasan puts US in poor company

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Published: 2026-10-09T14:00:38.817Z • Permanent link

Pete Hegseth, the US defense secretary, has reportedly planned to livestream the execution of Nidal Hasan, a convicted Army major who carried out a fatal shooting at Fort Hood in 2009. Hasan, who was sentenced to death for the attack, was set to be executed by lethal injection on June 5, 2023. Hegseth's plan to broadcast the event has sparked controversy and raised concerns about the potential for online exploitation of the graphic content. According to sources, the Department of Defense has been in talks with the Federal Bureau of Prisons and other agencies about the possibility of livestreaming the execution.

Hasan's case drew widespread attention in 2009, with many questioning the military's handling of the investigation and the subsequent trial. The event also highlighted concerns about radicalization and homegrown terrorism within the US military. Hasan's lawyer, Nathan J. Finch, had filed an appeal to the US Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces, arguing that his client's rights had been violated during the trial. However, in January 2023, the US Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces rejected the appeal, paving the way for Hasan's execution.

The plan to livestream the execution has been met with criticism from human rights groups, who argue that it could be used to exploit and sensationalize the graphic content. "We urge the Department of Defense to reconsider its plan to livestream the execution," said a spokesperson for Amnesty International. "This would be a deeply disturbing and dehumanizing way to carry out a death penalty, and could be used to exploit and sensationalize the graphic content for the sake of entertainment.

Critics argue that Hegseth's plan to livestream the execution could have serious consequences for companies that provide online platforms for streaming video content. Companies like YouTube and Facebook have faced criticism for allowing graphic content to be shared online, and the Department of Defense's plan could raise concerns about the potential for online exploitation. "This is a concern for companies that provide online platforms for streaming video content," said a spokesperson for the online video platform, Vimeo. "We have strict policies in place to prevent the sharing of graphic content, and we would work closely with the Department of Defense to ensure that our platform is not used to exploit or sensationalize the execution.

The plan to livestream the execution could also have implications for research communities that study capital punishment and its effects on society. Researchers have long debated the merits of capital punishment, with some arguing that it is an effective deterrent to crime, while others argue that it is a form of state-sanctioned violence that has no clear benefits. The Department of Defense's plan to livestream the execution could provide valuable insights into the psychology and sociology of capital punishment, and could inform policy debates about the use of the death penalty.

The US Department of Defense's plan to livestream the execution is part of a larger pattern of debate about the use of capital punishment in the US. In recent years, there have been calls for the abolition of the death penalty, with many arguing that it is a form of state-sanctioned violence that has no clear benefits. The US is one of the few developed countries that still uses capital punishment, and the debate about its use has been fueled by high-profile cases like Hasan's. The Department of Defense's plan to livestream the execution is also part of a larger trend towards transparency and accountability in government, with many arguing that it is essential for building trust in institutions.