Keely Cahill Vanacker has condemned Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth’s plan to livestream the execution of her father’s killer.
Vanacker, whose father Michael Cahill was among 13 people murdered at Fort Hood in 2009, said on Monday that broadcasting the death of Nidal Malik Hasan would be “absolutely the worst thing you could do.” She discovered the news through an Instagram reel her son had seen, a detail that underscored for her how rapidly such footage could spread across platforms.
“I think that this has nothing to do with justice,” she said.
The daughter grimly characterized the proposal as transforming “tragedy” into “entertainment.” She warned about the inescapable nature of a livestreamed event in the social media age.
“I can’t imagine, with social media, how horrific it would be and how widespread it would be. It is not something you could just get away from,” she said.
Vanacker emphasized that the broadcast would serve no healing function for the families who lost loved ones in the massacre.
“This does not bring anyone’s family back. Livestreaming isn’t closure for any of us,” she said.
She noted that even among other victims’ relatives she had spoken with who view Hasan’s execution itself as a form of closure, none supported making it a public spectacle.
“Livestreaming is just something that is not even on the radar that they think is ok,” she said.
“This is just a really horrible reaction and a way to handle this situation,” Vanacker added.
Hegseth revealed the December 3 execution date and livestream plan Thursday during an interview on a podcast hosted by MAGA influencer Jack Posobiec. The Secretary framed the firing squad method as a return to World War II-era Army tactics, stating that in that period soldiers “Understand [that] when the enemy attacks you, you stand your ground.”
The announcement drew swift bipartisan condemnation. Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska took to X on Friday to demand the Pentagon reverse what she termed a “gruesome decision.”
“I would expect this from terrorists and dictators, but not here in America,” she wrote. “This is not who we are.”
Murkowski added that a livestreamed execution would grant Hasan “the martyrdom” he sought.
Fellow Republican Senator Thom Tillis joined the criticism, writing that such acts are “what oppressive dictatorships like Iran and Afghanistan do.” He called the prospect of broadcasting the execution “beyond disgusting.”
President Trump initially expressed support for the plan but appeared to soften his stance by Saturday, telling reporters he had not finalized his decision.
“I know what the military would like to do, but I’ll make a decision,” the president said.
Hasan, a former Army Major, carried out the deadliest mass shooting on an American military installation on November 5, 2009, opening fire inside a medical processing center at Fort Hood near Killeen, Texas. The attack killed 13 people and wounded more than 20 others. Responding police shot Hasan during the incident, leaving him paralyzed and confined to a wheelchair ever since. He told officers he targeted soldiers deploying to Afghanistan because they were “going to engage in an illegal war,” and described his actions as waging “jihad” against the United States. A military court convicted him in 2013 on 13 counts of premeditated murder and 32 counts of attempted murder.
Trump has not indicated when he will announce his final decision on whether to proceed with the public execution.