President Donald Trump announced Thursday that the execution of Nidal Hasan, convicted of the 2009 Fort Hood massacre, will not be publicly streamed, reversing an earlier decision by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.

Hasan was found guilty of killing 13 people and wounding 32 others in a horrific shooting at Fort Hood, Texas, in 2009. He is scheduled to be executed by firing squad on December 3 at the same military base where the attack occurred.

In a social media post, President Trump stated that while he believed streaming the execution could serve as a deterrent against terrorism, he acknowledged that "many very good and well meaning people would rather not watch him die." He confirmed that Hasan will still be executed by firing squad as scheduled, but the event will not be broadcast live. Families of the victims will have the option to view the execution in person.

The decision to cancel the livestream comes after significant public and political backlash. Sources familiar with the matter indicated that Trump and his advisors had been considering the cancellation amid concerns that broadcasting the execution could be exploited for anti-American propaganda or reflect negatively on the United States. Vice President JD Vance had previously expressed uncertainty about the livestream, stating he would not watch it if it proceeded.

Numerous lawmakers, including several Republicans, had spoken out against the plan. Outgoing Republican Senator Thom Tillis had condemned the idea, stating that public executions are characteristic of "oppressive dictatorships like Iran and Afghanistan" and should not occur in America. The Pentagon had previously maintained that the livestream was moving forward, but has not immediately responded to requests for comment following Trump's announcement.

Public executions, while once common in the U.S., have been largely restricted and abolished since the mid-19th and early 20th centuries. The last widely recognized public execution in the United States took place in Kentucky in 1936.

Public sentiment appears to align with the cancellation of the livestream. An ABC News/Washington Post/Ipsos poll conducted on Thursday morning indicated that eight in 10 Americans believe Hasan's execution should not be livestreamed.

It remains unclear whether Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth was informed of President Trump's decision to cancel the livestream prior to the public announcement. The execution is set to proceed, but the method of its broadcast has been definitively altered.