President Donald Trump said Thursday that the Pentagon will no longer livestream the firing squad execution of Fort Hood shooter Nidal Malik Hasan, after the announcement faced bipartisan criticism and Vice President JD Vance said he wouldn’t watch it.
asserted
he → say → it
Trump said on social media that publicly airing the execution “might have been a strong deterrent for the World to witness how America deals with Terrorists and SCUM like Hasan.”
But, he continued, “many very good and well meaning people would rather not watch him die, through streaming, or through any other visual device.”
uncertain
him → say → device
The Pentagon has said Hasan’s execution is scheduled for Dec. 3.
asserted
execution → say → Dec.
Trump said the execution can be viewed in person by immediate families of the victims, “if they so choose.”
asserted
they → say → victims
The announcement earlier this month from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth that Hasan’s execution would be public — and subsequent confirmation from the Pentagon that it would be livestreamed — prompted significant blowback from both Republicans and Democrats, with many pointing out that the images could be used to fuel radicalization.
uncertain
images → livestreame → radicalization
The Pentagon on Thursday declined to elaborate beyond Trump’s statement.
asserted
Pentagon → decline → statement
When asked how the public execution comported with his Christian faith earlier this month, Vance said “I don’t know that that’s actually going to happen.”
asserted
that → ask → faith
“So 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,” Vance said, adding: “Now, that said, I mean, look, if it’s ultimately livestreamed, I’m not going to be watching it.”
asserted
I → hope → it
Vance is Catholic, and the church has long opposed capital punishment.
asserted
church → oppose → punishment
The head of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops had condemned the Trump administration’s decision to livestream Hasan’s execution, with Archbishop Paul S. Coakley saying the move was a “barbaric promotion of a culture of death and must be reconsidered.”
asserted
move → condemn → death
Other top Republicans, including House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., voiced similar sentiments.
asserted
Republicans → include → sentiments
For his part, the president has defended his decision to approve the use of a firing squad, but had for days distanced himself from Hegseth’s announcement that it would be public.
asserted
it → defend → announcement
“Well, they’re making a determination about that,” Trump said Friday when asked about the livestream.
asserted
Trump → make → livestream
As for Hasan and the method of execution, Trump said then: “He will be killed.
asserted
He → say → execution
I really don’t care how he goes, as long as he goes.
asserted
he → care → ?
And I think the death penalty is a very worthy way of going for him.”
asserted
penalty → think → him
Hasan, an Army psychiatrist who held the rank of major, walked into a medical building on Nov. 5, 2009, where soldiers were waiting in long lines to receive immunizations and medical clearance for deployment.
asserted
soldiers → hold → deployment
He shouted “Allahu akbar” — Arabic for “God is great!” — and opened fire with a laser-sighted handgun.
asserted
God → shout → handgun
He also shot at the backs of soldiers fleeing toward the parking lot.
asserted
He → shoot → lot
Hasan said it was an effort to stop them from going to Afghanistan and killing his fellow Muslims.
asserted
it → say → Muslims
A military judge barred him from presenting that as a defense during his 2013 trial.
asserted
judge → bar → trial
Hasan was left paralyzed from the waist down after being shot in the back by law enforcement, and he now uses a wheelchair.
asserted
he → leave → wheelchair
Hasan could seek a lengthy delay of his execution, though given his behavior at trial, he may not want to.
uncertain
he → seek → trial
The U.S. military hasn’t executed a service member by firing squad since World War II.
asserted
military → execute → II
The last military execution took place on April 13, 1961, when Army Pvt. John Bennett was executed by hanging.
asserted
Bennett → take → hanging
——-
Associated Press writer Konstantin Toropin contributed to this report.
asserted
Toropin → contribute → report
The Aporia
