President Donald Trump announced on October 15 that the execution of a military gunman will not be broadcast live.
According to Yonhap News, Trump stated on social media platform Truth Social, "He will be executed by firing squad as scheduled, but it will not be broadcast live."
He added, "However, the immediate family members of the victims will be allowed to witness the execution in person if they wish. They deserve to witness the realization of justice."
This decision came shortly after a joint poll conducted by The Washington Post, ABC News, and Ipsos revealed overwhelming opposition to live broadcasting the execution.
The poll indicated that while 53% supported the execution by firing squad, 80% of respondents opposed broadcasting it live.
Previously, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin had announced plans to broadcast the execution live, prompting criticism within the United States.
Trump's decision to forgo a live broadcast is seen as a response to potential political backlash, especially with the midterm elections approaching on October 20.
Earlier this month, Trump approved the execution of Nidal Malik Hasan, a Muslim American who was sentenced to death for killing 13 people in a shooting spree at Fort Hood, Texas, in 2009.
In his Truth Social post, Trump referred to Hasan as a "traitor" and a "wicked and evil" individual, noting that he killed 13 people, including a pregnant soldier and her unborn child, and injured 32 innocent people.
Trump also criticized the Obama administration's Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for monitoring communications between Hasan and radical Yemeni-American cleric Anwar al-Awlaki, stating that investigators deemed Hasan's emails not a threat, which later was considered a significant intelligence failure.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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