Trump overrules Pete Hegseth's plan to livestream Fort Hood gunman's execution

US President Donald Trump has cancelled plans to livestream the execution of Nidal Hasan, the former army doctor convicted of killing 13 people at Fort Hood in 2009.

According to The Guardian, the decision follows bipartisan criticism of Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth's announcement that Hasan's execution by firing squad would be broadcast online.

Trump confirmed the reversal in a Truth Social post on Thursday.

“Many very good and well meaning people would rather not watch him die, through streaming, or through any other visual device. He [Hasan] will die, as scheduled, by firing squad, but this event will not be streamed,” Trump wrote.

The announcement was welcomed by lawmakers from both major political parties, who had criticised the proposal to broadcast an execution.

Democratic Senator Elissa Slotkin responded on X, writing: “Good. So sick to have ever considered this,”

Republican Senator John Curtis also supported the decision, saying “this is the right move, both for the loved ones of the victims and for the country.”

Curtis had previously warned that broadcasting executions “cultivates an appetite for executions as a form of entertainment”, and was “not an effective deterrent”.