Key facts
- Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin defended the plan to livestream the execution of Fort Hood gunman Nidal Hasan.
- Mullin stated he does not see an elevated risk to U.S. security from the livestream.
- Hasan killed 13 people and wounded 32 in the 2009 Fort Hood attack.
- Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth recommended the execution by firing squad.
- The execution is scheduled for December 3.
- President Trump will make the final decision on whether to livestream the execution.
Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin on Sunday defended the Pentagon's plan to livestream the execution of Nidal Hasan, the former Army major convicted of the 2009 Fort Hood attack that killed 13 people and wounded 32. Mullin stated on CBS' “Face the Nation” that he does not believe broadcasting the execution by firing squad poses an elevated risk of radicalization or martyrdom.
Mullin asserted that the punishment must fit the crime for those who attack America. He added that individuals are not obligated to watch the execution if they choose not to. President Donald Trump approved Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's recommendation for the execution, which is scheduled for December 3. Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell noted on X that "Judgment day for Hasan has finally come."
However, the plan has drawn criticism, including from Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski, who urged the Pentagon to reverse the decision, calling it "gruesome" and stating it would give Hasan the "martyrdom he seeks." Vice President JD Vance also cast doubt on whether the livestream would proceed, saying he would not watch it, while emphasizing that Hasan committed a severe terrorist attack on American soil. President Trump told reporters on Saturday that he is considering different viewpoints and will make the ultimate decision on the livestream.