US Catholic leaders challenge Trump administration's plan to livestream execution

Catholic leaders in the United States are opposing a plan by the Trump administration to livestream a military execution. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced that the execution of Nidal Malik Hasan, who was convicted of the 2009 killings at Fort Hood, will be broadcast live. Hasan is scheduled to be executed by firing squad on Dec. 3.

Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio of the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA, stated on Oct. 12 that the broadcast would create a public spectacle of killing adversaries. He said the plan requires any Catholic assigned to the firing squad to request to be excused because the action goes against Church teaching.

Archbishop Paul S. Coakley, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, issued a statement on Oct. 9 calling the livestreaming a promotion of a culture of death that undermines the nation's moral fabric. While the administration proposed the broadcast, President Donald Trump told reporters he expressed possible uncertainty regarding the plan he previously approved.