US Archbishop Asks Whether Execution Broadcast Puts Military 'In the Same Boat With Terrorists'

Archibishop Broglio urges Catholic service members to seek exemptions from firing-squad duties as Trump weighs the execution broadcast

Execution Chamber in Florida — An execution chamber at a Florida prison, illustrating the debate over military executions and whether broadcasting them could put the US military on a par with terrorists Wikimedia Commons/Dept. of Corrections, Florida Department of Corrections/Doug Smith

Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio has warned that livestreaming the planned firing-squad execution of Fort Hood gunman Nidal Malik Hasan could place the US military 'in the same boat with terrorists', as the Pentagon pushes ahead with a proposal to broadcast the killing worldwide.

Broglio, who oversees Catholic pastoral care for US military personnel, also urged Catholic service members assigned to the firing squad to request to be excused on religious grounds.

Hasan, a former US Army major and psychiatrist, is scheduled to be executed by firing squad at Fort Hood, Texas, at 1pm Central Standard Time on 3 December 2026. President Donald Trump approved the death sentence on 2 October but has said he is still deciding whether to allow the livestream.

Archbishop Questions Public Spectacle

In a statement issued on Monday, 12 October, Broglio questioned whether broadcasting the execution would serve any purpose and warned about the message it could send to young viewers.

'Do we really want to imitate the terrorists of this world and make a public spectacle of barbarically killing our adversaries?' he asked.

Broglio said the US military generally enjoys a good reputation internationally and questioned whether broadcasting the execution would damage that standing. 'Is there really a value to throwing them in the same boat with terrorists by broadcasting the image of the execution of a man in a wheelchair to the whole world?' he wrote.

Broglio acknowledged the gravity of Hasan's crimes and expressed sympathy for the victims. He said he had presided over the funeral of Michael Grant Cahill, the only civilian killed in the 2009 attack.

Addressing Catholic personnel who might be assigned to the firing squad, Broglio wrote: 'As I would in the case of a procured abortion, I oblige any Catholics assigned to the firing squad to request to be excused from this action contrary to the teaching of the Church.'

US Army regulations allow soldiers to request religious exemptions or accommodations. The Army has not publicly detailed how firing squad members will be selected or how such requests would be handled.

Hegseth Says Broadcast Could Deter Attacks

Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth announced plans to livestream the execution last week, arguing that making it public could deter future attacks. He has said he wants the execution to take place at the same location, time and day of the week as Hasan's 2009 shooting.

A Pentagon official confirmed to ABC News that the execution would be livestreamed. However, Trump has not confirmed that he will permit the broadcast.

Hasan was convicted by court-martial in 2013 of killing 13 people and attempting to murder 32 others during the shooting at Fort Hood on 5 November 2009. The execution would be the first US military execution since 1961 and the first by firing squad since 1945. Death penalty experts cited by Reuters said they were unaware of any previous government execution being broadcast or livestreamed.

Pope Leo Reiterates Opposition to Death Penalty

Broglio's statement followed a meeting with Pope Leo XIV in Rome on Monday. On Saturday, 10 October, the pope reiterated the Catholic Church's opposition to capital punishment in a social media post marking the World Day Against the Death Penalty.

'The death penalty is inadmissible because it is an attack on the inviolability and dignity of the person,' Leo wrote.

The pope did not specifically mention Hasan or the proposed livestream. His post restated the Church's broader position on capital punishment.

The proposal has also drawn criticism from Republicans. Vice-President JD Vance said he would not watch the livestream if it went ahead and questioned whether it would ultimately happen. Republican Senator Thom Tillis separately called the idea of a public execution 'beyond disgusting', according to Reuters.

Broglio urged officials to consider the implications of broadcasting the execution, particularly for young viewers and the military's public standing. Whether Trump will approve the livestream remains unresolved. The execution is scheduled for 3 December, but it is not yet clear whether it will be broadcast live.