JD Vance Casts Doubt on Firing Squad Execution
US Vice-President JD Vance has expressed skepticism about the Pentagon's plan to livestream the execution of Nidal Hasan, the Fort Hood attacker. During a press conference, Vance stated, "I don't know that that's actually going to happen," regarding the December execution, and added, "if it's through livestream, I'm not going to be watching it."
Hours later, President Donald Trump supported the livestream idea, asserting, "He killed 13, 14 people, badly wounded 20-some-odd people, and he's totally nuts... I think that the death penalty is a very worthy way of going for him."
Background
Nidal Hasan, a former US Army major, is set to be executed by firing squad on December 3rd for killing 13 unarmed soldiers and injuring 32 others at a base in Texas in 2009. This would mark the first military execution in over 60 years.
On Thursday, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth announced that the execution would be streamed live, citing the need to demonstrate serious consequences for such actions.
Political Reactions
The plan has sparked criticism from both political parties. Republican Senator John Curtis compared the idea to Rome's history of "bloody spectacles," arguing that public executions erode civilizations and corrupt viewers. He urged Hegseth to reconsider, stating, "The victims deserve justice administered with solemnity. Broadcasting a death diminishes us and is not an effective deterrent."
Democratic Senator Chris Murphy called the idea "disgusting," drawing parallels to executions carried out by the Islamic State group.
Republican Georgia lawmaker Austin Scott supported the death penalty but criticized the livestream, stating, "Live-streaming executions... is what ISIS does."