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It was an unpopular idea from the start, and now the critics can breathe a sigh of relief.

Last week, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announced that the firing squad execution of Fort Hood mass shooter Nidal Hasan would be available to watch live online.

Now, Donald Trump has announced that his administration has reversed course, and the public will no longer be getting a front-row seat.

Trump announced Thursday that Hasan’s scheduled execution by firing squad will not be livestreamed.

The decision follows mounting criticism from both Democrats and Republicans over the prospect of broadcasting a man’s execution.

Hasan was convicted of killing 13 people and injuring 32 others in a 2009 shooting at Fort Hood, Texas. The former Army psychiatrist has been sentenced to death, with his execution scheduled for December 3.

The Pentagon’s original plan to livestream the execution sparked widespread backlash, raising questions about whether broadcasting the event would serve as a deterrent or simply create a disturbing spectacle.

Trump addressed the controversy in a post on Truth Social, acknowledging the argument that showing the execution could discourage future attacks while ultimately deciding against making it public.

“I think streaming the execution for all to see might have been a strong deterrent for the World to witness how America deals with Terrorists and SCUM like Hasan,” Trump wrote.

“But, many very good and well meaning people would rather not watch him die, through streaming, or through any other visual device,” he continued, adding:

“He will die, as scheduled, by firing squad, but this event will not be streamed.”

He also said immediate family members of the victims would be permitted to witness the execution in person, should they choose to attend.

The reversal comes after Hegseth’s announcement generated criticism from lawmakers across the political spectrum.

Vice President JD Vance also expressed reservations about the proposed broadcast, saying he would not watch if the execution were livestreamed. Critics have warned that footage of the event could be used as propaganda by terrorist organizations.

Hasan has been paralyzed from the waist down since law enforcement officers shot him in the back while responding to the 2009 attack. He now uses a wheelchair, a detail that reportedly factored into discussions about whether to broadcast his execution.

The December 3 execution is still scheduled to take place at Fort Hood. Trump’s announcement changes the plan for how the event will be witnessed, not the punishment itself.

For the families of the victims, the decision closes one particularly contentious chapter in a case that has remained part of the national conversation for nearly 17 years.

And for an administration that initially considered televising the execution as a warning to potential attackers, the backlash has made clear that even a proposed public display of punishment can become a controversy of its own.