US Vice President JD Vance said Friday he would not watch a planned livestream of Nidal Hasan’s execution. Hasan was convicted of killing 13 people in the 2009 shooting at Fort Hood, Texas. President Donald Trump said he had approved the proposed broadcast, while Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the public would be able to watch it.
The plan has sparked debate among Republican leaders. Some support making the execution public, while others say broadcasting a person’s death would cross a line.
Hasan’s execution is scheduled for December and is expected to take place by firing squad. If the broadcast goes ahead, it would be the first public execution in the United States in 90 years. It would also mark the first military execution since 1961.
Speaking to reporters on Friday, Vance said the debate over the execution method should not take attention away from the people who died in the attack.
“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.
However, Vance also made clear that he had no plans to watch the event if it were streamed online.
“Now that said, I mean, look, if it’s all through livestream, I’m not going to be watching it,” he said.
Trump addressed the proposed broadcast during a separate exchange with reporters on Friday. When asked whether he had approved the livestream, he gave a clear response.
“Did I approve? Absolutely, I approve,” Trump said.
His comments followed an interview with Hegseth on Thursday. The defense secretary said Americans would be able to watch Hasan’s execution.
“We’ll make sure that people are able to watch it,” Hegseth said. He added that the public needed to understand that serious crimes carry serious consequences.
A report later said the execution would be livestreamed. However, questions remain about the final arrangements and how the broadcast would be carried out.
The proposal has raised wider questions about public access to executions, the purpose of punishment and the role of government in showing such events to viewers.
Several Republican lawmakers have criticized the idea of broadcasting the execution. They support the death penalty for Hasan but oppose showing his death to the public.
Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina condemned the proposal in a post on X late Thursday. Tillis, who is leaving the Senate, said Hasan should face the death penalty. However, he described the plan to stream the execution as deeply offensive.
Tillis also said public executions were linked to oppressive governments. He argued that the United States should not adopt such a practice.
Sen. John Curtis of Utah also spoke against the plan. In a post on X, Curtis said broadcasting an execution would diminish society and would not act as an effective deterrent.
Curtis warned that showing the death could encourage people to treat executions as entertainment. He said the victims deserved justice carried out with care and respect.
Their comments show that support for capital punishment does not always mean support for public broadcasts. The senators have drawn a distinction between carrying out a legal sentence and showing it to a wide audience.
Not all Republican lawmakers share those concerns. Rep. Andy Ogles of Tennessee welcomed the plan in a post on X.
“Excellent. Public execution is what this terrorist deserves. We will be watching,” Ogles wrote.
His response differed sharply from the views expressed by Tillis, Curtis and Vance. The reactions show a divide within the party over whether a public broadcast is an appropriate way to present an execution.
Supporters say public access could help people understand the consequences of serious crimes. Critics argue that a broadcast could turn a legal punishment into a public spectacle.
Hasan’s case remains closely linked to the 2009 shooting at Fort Hood, where 13 people were killed. The planned firing squad execution has drawn fresh attention because military executions are rare in the United States.
A livestream would make the event even more unusual. It would also place the government at the center of a debate over public access, human dignity and the treatment of victims’ families.
Trump has said he approved the broadcast, and Hegseth has said people would be able to watch. Vance, however, has ruled out viewing it.
As December approaches, questions remain about whether the livestream will proceed as described. The debate also continues over how the government should balance public access with respect for the victims and the seriousness of the punishment.
