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JD Vance casts doubt on Pentagon's plans to livestream firing squad execution
Overview
US Vice-President JD Vance has expressed scepticism over the Pentagon's plans to livestream the firing squad execution of Fort Hood shooter Nidal Hasan, stating that he doubts it will happen and that he would not watch it if it were broadcast. The announcement by US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has drawn bipartisan criticism, as well as condemnation from the UN, the US Conference of Catholic Bishops, and lawmakers who compared the public broadcast to historical spectacles or terrorist tactics.
Key points
- US Vice-President JD Vance cast doubt on plans to livestream the execution of Fort Hood shooter Nidal Hasan, stating he does not know if it will actually happen.
- Vance confirmed he would not watch the livestream if it takes place, while condemning Hasan's 2009 attack as a major terrorist incident.
- The Pentagon previously announced that Hasan would face execution by firing squad—the first military execution in over 60 years—and Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth stated it would be livestreamed.
- The livestream plan has faced criticism from politicians across both parties, including Republican Senator John Curtis and Democratic Senator Chris Murphy.
- The UN human rights office, the US Conference of Catholic Bishops, and various critics have condemned the public broadcast, warning it resembles terrorist tactics or breaches prohibitions against torture.