Archbishop Timothy Broglio opposes Pentagon plan to livestream Hasan execution

Archbishop Timothy Broglio, who oversees Catholic pastoral services for the US military, opposed the Pentagon’s proposed livestream of Nidal Hasan’s execution in a statement dated 12 October 2026. He urged Catholic service members assigned to the firing squad to request excusal, bringing the church’s opposition to capital punishment into a decision affecting the military personnel who may be asked to carry it out.

Hasan was convicted of killing 13 people in the 2009 Fort Hood attack and is scheduled to be executed by firing squad on 3 December 2026, according to the Associated Press. The Pentagon has said the execution would be livestreamed, but the AP reported that officials had yet to provide further details. Both the execution date and the broadcast plan remain prospective.

What Broglio asked Catholic service members to do

In his statement, Broglio said Catholics assigned to the firing squad should ask to be excused because taking part would conflict with church teaching. His request concerns any Catholic service member who might receive such an assignment; the statement does not identify anyone already assigned to the squad or say that an excusal request has been made.

Broglio expressed disapproval of the proposed livestream and supported a statement by Texas bishops. He cited the Catholic Church’s opposition to capital punishment and questioned the purpose of exposing the public to Hasan’s execution. He asked for the livestream decision to be reconsidered and for young viewers’ exposure to be prevented where possible.

Broglio renewed his sympathy for the families and friends of those killed at Fort Hood. He said he presided at the funeral of Michael Grant Cahill, the only civilian killed in the attack. That personal connection formed part of a statement that acknowledged the loss suffered in 2009 while opposing the proposed public broadcast and asking Catholic troops to seek excusal from the firing squad.

How Fort Hood survivors view the livestream

Fort Hood survivors interviewed by ABC News offered perspectives on the planned execution and its broadcast. Former Army sergeant Alonzo Lunsford said he intends to attend the execution and wants Hasan to see him as a survivor. He supports the death sentence and the firing-squad method, but said any livestream should be limited to survivors and families rather than made into a spectacle.

Dayna Ferguson, who was wounded in the attack, told ABC News that the livestream plan surprised her and that she was still deciding whether to attend. She said broadcasting it would not change what would happen to Hasan. Reflecting on the shooting, she also spoke of being thankful to be alive. Their comments describe individual survivors’ views, not a single position shared by everyone affected.

The survivors’ comments were reported before Broglio’s 12 October statement. They show why the proposed audience matters to people directly affected by the Fort Hood attack: Lunsford distinguished access for survivors and families from a wider public broadcast, while Ferguson questioned what the broadcast would change. Broglio’s statement adds a separate objection grounded in Catholic teaching and concern for participants and viewers.

What remains undecided about the execution

The Pentagon’s announcement established a plan to livestream the execution, but the AP said officials would provide more details later. The available reporting therefore does not establish the broadcast arrangements or who could watch. Broglio’s request to reconsider the decision is a response to that announced plan, not evidence that the Pentagon has changed it.

The scheduled 3 December execution could also be delayed. The AP reported that Hasan could file a habeas petition in civilian court and cited legal experts who said such a move could significantly postpone it. For now, the confirmed developments are the Pentagon’s stated livestream plan, the scheduled execution date and Broglio’s public objection and request to Catholic service members.