President Trump isn’t sure whether the public should witness the firing squad execution of Fort Hood killer Nidal Hasan, indicating Saturday that he’ll “make a decision ultimately.”
“He was vicious. He was violent,” said of Hasan while speaking to reporters at the White House Saturday.
“There are two thoughts: don’t show it and show it, because you know by showing it, maybe other people won’t be doing what he did. So I’ll make a decision ultimately. I know what the military would like to do, but we’ll make a decision.”
Trump made the comment on a day he also said he wasn’t involved in the plan to livestream the execution, while stressing that he understands the decision to make an “example” of him.
“They want to do that because they want to set an example. I wasn’t involved in that decision, but I understand the decision,” Trump told CNY Central on Friday during his trip to Syracuse, where he campaigned for Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman’s gubernatorial bid, when asked if he approved live-streaming the event.
He was more direct when asked if he approved of the execution itself. “I did,” Trump said.
Trump’s comments appeared to be a step back from earlier remarks that he approved the plan to livestream the execution.
Trump went on to discuss with the CNY Central the horrific Nidal Hasan attack that prompted the military to announce its first execution by firing squad since 1945. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said it would be broadcast live on Dec. 3.
“He went in and killed 14 people. He badly, badly wounded 22 people — walked into a room, just started firing at everybody, screaming things that he shouldn’t be screaming. So, I guess they want to have it serve as an example, and I understand that very well,” Trump said.
Hasan killed 13 people and wounded 32 others during his Nov. 5, 2009 massacre inside a medical building at the Texas base.
“I really don’t care how he goes as long as he goes. And I think that the death penalty is a very worthy way of going for him,” Trump said.
Vice President JD Vance, who held a campaign event in Ohio Friday, said he wouldn’t be watching the execution if it is broadcast.
“I don’t know that that’s actually going to happen,” he said. “If it’s ultimately livestreamed, I’m not going to be watching it.”
