Trump, Vance signal unease with Hegseth’s public execution plan 

The White House has signalled a potential reversal of course after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced plans to livestream the firing squad execution of former Army Maj. Nidal Hasan, the 2009 Fort Hood shooter, prompting bipartisan outcry.

President Trump has publicly sent mixed signals on the plan, while privately telling one confidant it “might not happen,” Axios reported Monday. 

Trump has given his enthusiastic endorsement for executing Hasan by firing squad, but said he “wasn’t involved in that decision” to livestream the Dec. 3 execution. 

On Saturday, Trump told reporters he would “make a decision ultimately” on what to do. 

“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,” the president said. “So I’ll make a decision ultimately. I know what the military would like to do, but we’ll make a decision.”  

Asked on Tuesday whether he had decided, Trump replied, “We’re looking at it.”

Hasan killed 13 people and injured 32 others when he opened fire at Fort Hood, Texas, in November 2009. The incident is the deadliest mass shooting on a U.S. military installation. 

Vice President Vance offered a more definite tone when he told reporters Friday he will not watch the execution should it be livestreamed, even stating, “I don’t know that that’s actually going to happen.” 

And House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), a top defender of the administration, said he would not watch such a livestream and intended........

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