It is rare to see Catholic bishops and Hollywood stars on the same side of a debate, yet here we are. On Friday, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops strongly condemned the Trump administration’s strategy to broadcast live the execution of Nidal Hasan, the Fort Hood shooter. This decision has sparked a firestorm that reaches far beyond the usual political lines.
Archbishop Paul Coakley, the president of the bishops, wrote that he learned of the Department of War’s decision with shock and great sorrow. He stated clearly that their God is the God of life. According to the bishops, such an action barbarically promotes a culture of death that requires reconsideration. It is a stark warning from a group that usually stays out of the daily news cycle.
Good God. What the fuck is going on here? Who the the fuck are we? What other ways of execution can we expect next? Pilloried and stoned in the town square?
Sounds good to me. I’d love nothing more than to watch this pathetic “soldier” get stoned— Ellen Barkin (@EllenBarkin) October 9, 2026
The plan involves firing Hasan by a squad of soldiers on December 3. This date marks the anniversary of his 2009 attack at Fort Hood. According to the Washington Examiner, President Trump signed off on the execution earlier this week. War Secretary Pete Hegseth told reporters that people need to understand the serious consequences of such crimes. He added that the public will be able to watch the event unfold.
What makes this story truly surprising is the bipartisan anger it has generated. Retiring Sen. Thom Tillis from North Carolina was the first Republican lawmaker to speak out against the public nature of the execution. He called the idea beyond disgusting in a statement released Thursday. Tillis stated that public executions are characteristic of oppressive dictatorships such as Iran and Afghanistan. He insisted it should not be happening in America.
Other conservatives are worried about the message this sends to enemies abroad. Rep. Don Bacon, serving on the House Armed Services Committee, remarked that filming the event constitutes an unwise decision. He believes it could help spur jihadists and be used to recruit more terrorists. Rep. Austin Scott from Georgia agreed, writing that live-streaming executions is what jihadists do. He simply stated that America is better than that.
I support the death penalty, especially for terrorists. But I think it’s toxic for society to live-stream an execution. And bad for the human soul to tune in to watch.
— Alyssa Farah Griffin (@Alyssafarah) October 8, 2026
The Pentagon has not clarified exactly where this broadcast will take place. Hegseth told Jack Posobiec on Real America’s Voice that they will make sure people can watch it. He said the choice to use a firing squad was a no-brainer. Yet, even those who support the death penalty are drawing a line at the spectacle. Alyssa Farah Griffin, a co-host on The View, said she supports the penalty for terrorists. Yet she deemed the concept toxic for society and detrimental to the human soul for viewers to watch.
Hasan received a conviction for murdering 13 individuals and wounding dozens more during a 2009 shooting rampage. The Washington Examiner observes that this marks the first military execution in over 65 years. Some reports, like those from Breitbart, state he killed 14 people including an unborn child. The discrepancy highlights how the details of the tragedy remain raw for many families.
Writer Joyce Carol Oates called the plan sadism in her comments. She cautioned that the event would leave a lasting imprint on the memories of all who witness it. She hoped families would not allow young children to watch the broadcast. The fear is that this turns justice into a form of entertainment that harms us all.
The condemned man will die & have no memory of the event which will imprint itself in the memories of those who observe. Hoping that, at least, families will not allow young children to watch. Sadism may be like filth in water—with unintended consequences for many.
— Joyce Carol Oates (@JoyceCarolOates) October 8, 2026
Rep. Rob Bresnahan said an execution shouldn’t be a live-streamed spectacle. He argued the focus should be on justice for the victims and their families. The debate is not about whether Hasan deserves to die. It is about how the government chooses to end his life. The question now is whether the government will listen to the warnings of its own allies.
The execution is scheduled for December 3, and the public is waiting to see if the broadcast will happen. No one has confirmed if the livestream will be blocked by courts or if the date will change. The answer remains unknown as the date approaches.
