The Trump administration's plan to livestream an execution by firing squad is sparking plenty of controversy, with some political analysts and even Vice President JD Vance questioning the decision.
The Trump administration's plan to livestream an execution by firing squad is sparking plenty of controversy...with some political analysts calling it a risky move.
Hamline University professor of political science and legal studies David Schultz says there are several possible reasons President Trump has approved Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's plan to publicly air the military execution of Fort Hood shooter Nidal Hasan.
"On the one hand, he may be doing this as a way to perhaps try to show he's law and order, try to strengthen his base, try to maybe motivate his base somehow thinking it's going to work with him," says Schultz. "But on the other hand, to what extent is there going to be a significant public backlash?"
Schultz says it's also interesting to consider to what extent does this become what he calls a "sideshow," and also says the public may not approve of a very old-fashioned method of execution.
"But the other thing to think about here is to what extent does this become a sideshow that instead of people talking about Iran? Instead of talking about affordability issues, he shifts gears to people talking about what the death penalty and talking about this execution," Schultz adds. "So a lot of possible calculations here that might not go in the way that he hopes."
The last U.S. military execution by firing squad took place during World War II.
Vice President doubts about public execution
Vice President JD Vance cast doubt on Friday whether the Pentagon will livestream the execution of of Fort Hood shooter Nidal Malik Hasan in December but told reporters that if it is livestreamed, “I’m not going to be watching it.”
The Republican vice president said, “I don’t know that that’s actually going to happen,” when asked about the plans that the Pentagon confirmed on Thursday. But Vance then tried to set aside the controversy over the shocking plans for a public execution and said Hasan’s crimes should not be forgotten.
“So 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,” the Republican said.
“Now, that said, I mean, look, if it’s ultimately livestreamed, I’m not going to be watching it,” he said.
Earlier, President Donald Trump told a White House event that Hasan will be getting “the death penalty through firing squad. And he deserves it.”
Trump called Hasan, who was convicted of killing 13 people and injuring 32 others in a shooting at the military base in 2009, “a maniac.”
Trump, who has long been a vocal supporter of capital punishment, didn’t mention the plans that the Pentagon has announced to livestream the execution so that the broader public can see it.
