Central Florida Voters Discuss Proposed Livestream of Federal Execution

By Cheryn Stone

Published October 15, 2026 at 11:23 PM EDT

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Former Army psychiatrist Maj. Nidal Hasan. — Former Army psychiatrist Maj. Nidal Hasan is scheduled to be executed by firing squad on December 3 for killing 13 people and injuring 32 people at Fort Hood in Texas on November 9, 2009. The execution will not be publicly broadcast.

Central Florida Public Media’s voter panel weighs the implications of making a federal execution public as voters discuss issues ahead of the midterm elections.

President Trump announced that the execution of the man convicted of killing 13 people at Fort Hood military base will not be livestreamed. Last week, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the firing squad execution would be made public for people to watch as a deterrent.

The thought of a livestreamed government execution in the U.S. has sparked debate.

Earlier this week, Central Florida Public Media’s 2026 Voter Insight Panel discussed the issue as part of a series of conversations about issues shaping their lives and their votes ahead of the midterm elections.

The panel includes Anna Ashie, Alison Yurko, and Jaydon Souza. Central Florida Public Media will continue the conversations with the panelists through the November elections.