A majority of Americans oppose livestreaming the December execution of Nidal Hasan, the former Army officer convicted of the 2009 Fort Hood shooting, according to an ABC News/Washington Post/Ipsos poll. While 53% support his execution by firing squad, a method not used by the Army since 1961-80% believe the event should not be broadcast live. The Pentagon initially announced plans to livestream the execution, but the Trump administration is now reconsidering the decision, citing concerns that it could be used for anti-American propaganda or portray the U.S. negatively. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth initially vowed to move forward with the livestream, but Vice President JD Vance indicated uncertainty about whether it would occur. As of Tuesday, the Pentagon maintained the livestream was still planned, though details were forthcoming.
The opposition to livestreaming cuts across partisan lines, with 91% of Democrats, 83% of independents, and 64% of Republicans opposing it. Even among those who support the firing squad method, 69% do not believe it should be livestreamed. A majority of MAGA Republicans (55%) also oppose the livestream, a figure that rises to 79% among non-MAGA Republicans. The debate over livestreaming echoes a historical shift away from public executions, which were once common but began to decline in moral acceptability in the 19th century; the last legally sanctioned public execution in the U.S. occurred in 1936.
The primary concern within the Trump administration, according to reports, is that livestreaming could inadvertently elevate Hasan to martyr status in the Muslim world, a concern fueled by Hasan’s own stated desire for martyrdom. This hesitation comes despite President Trump’s recent criticism of Iran’s public executions of dissidents. The U.S., like many countries that still employ the death penalty, has largely moved away from public displays of execution, reflecting a broader trend toward limiting depictions of violence. Support for the death penalty overall has decreased from a peak of 80% in 1988 and 1994 to 52% last October, according to Gallup polling.
Our reading is that despite supporting the use of a historically uncommon execution method, a clear majority of Americans are uncomfortable with the spectacle of a livestreamed execution. The administration’s reconsideration appears driven not by opposition to capital punishment itself, but by a pragmatic concern about the potential for negative international repercussions and the possibility of unintentionally bolstering extremist narratives. The surprisingly high level of opposition even among those who support the firing squad and MAGA Republicans suggests a broad discomfort with the proposed broadcast.
Read the original coverage
💬 Comments
📜 Comment Policy