Fort Hood Survivors Praise Trump for Canceling Nidal Hasan Execution Livestream

Survivors of the 2009 Fort Hood massacre have lauded President Donald Trump's decision to cancel the planned livestream of Nidal Hasan's execution. They had previously expressed concerns that broadcasting the event could transform a justice execution into a public spectacle and provide a propaganda tool for terrorist organizations.

Hasan is still scheduled to be executed by firing squad on December 3, 2026. The immediate families of his victims will be allowed to witness the execution in person, a change from the initial plan announced by Secretary of War Pete Hegseth to broadcast it to the public.

Alonzo Lunsford, who sustained seven gunshot wounds during the 2009 attack, described Trump's revised decision as a "positive move." "It proves that we are a better people, a better nation, and that we’re not barbaric," Lunsford stated. "We don't glorify such actions."

While supporting Hasan's death sentence and execution method, Lunsford opposed making the event a public broadcast. "It's not a spectacle. It’s not a pay-per-view event or a WWE wrestling match or even a boxing match," he said. He also warned that footage of the execution could be exploited by groups like ISIS or al-Qaeda for recruitment purposes.

Julia Wilson, a civilian employee at Fort Hood during the attack, who was nine months pregnant at the time, also welcomed the decision. She had argued that a livestream could traumatize viewers, including children who might stumble upon it online. "Once it’s on out there, it’s out there," she said, emphasizing the lasting impact such content could have on mental health.

President Trump had initially suggested that publicly broadcasting Hasan's execution might serve as a deterrent. However, he later sided with those who opposed the livestream, posting on Truth Social, "He will die, as scheduled, by firing squad, but this event will not be streamed."

Trump acknowledged the potential deterrent effect but prioritized the wishes of those who preferred not to witness the execution visually. "That said, the execution may be viewed in person by the immediate families of the victims, if they so choose. They deserve to witness JUSTICE!"

Lunsford also criticized the Army's handling of Hasan prior to the attack, citing reports of his troubling behavior before he was transferred to Fort Hood. He questioned the potential consequences had Hasan been deployed overseas before carrying out the massacre.

For Lunsford and other survivors, allowing victims' families to witness the execution, even without a public broadcast, offers a sense of closure. "It's gonna be a traumatic thing for, at least for the families of the fallen," he said. "They’ll be able to close the chapter and hopefully close the book."

Survivors continue to manage the long-term effects of the attack. "Every day we get up, we come to the VA hospital or we have to take our meds in the morning or we get ready to do something that we normally would have been doing prior to 5 November ’09 that we’re no longer able to do now, that’s a constant reminder," Lunsford said, affirming his status as a survivor rather than a victim.