Trump Backs Down on Live Broadcast of Execution Amid Public Backlash

[Anchor]

Recently in the U.S., controversy arose after the defense secretary announced plans to live-stream the execution of a terrorist. With the midterms just around the corner and mounting criticism, President Trump has ultimately announced that he will not go through with it.

This is Washington correspondent Jeon Byeong-nam.

[Reporter]

U.S. President Donald Trump has put the brakes on plans to live-stream the firing squad execution of a military base mass shooter.

President Trump wrote on his social media, "The mass shooter will be executed by firing squad as scheduled, but it will not be broadcast live," adding, "However, immediate family members of the victims can witness the execution at the scene if they wish. The bereaved families deserve to witness justice being served."

This comes 8 days after Defense Secretary Hegseth announced the live-streaming policy.

[Donald Trump / U.S. President (October 11): By broadcasting the execution publicly, it might deter others from committing terrorism. So I will make a final decision soon.]

This decision came immediately after the release of a joint poll by The Washington Post, ABC News, and Ipsos showing that opposition to the live broadcast was overwhelmingly high.

In the survey, while support for carrying out the execution stood at 53%, higher than the 42% against it, 80% of respondents opposed broadcasting it live.

Previously, President Trump approved the execution by firing squad earlier this month for Major Nidal Malik Hasan, who was sentenced to death after opening fire and killing 13 people at a military base in Texas in 2009.

This marks the first time the U.S. military has carried out a death sentence since 1961, and controversy had erupted because the use of a firing squad has been defunct since World War II.

On top of this, public opposition in the U.S. grew as Secretary Hegseth announced that the execution would be broadcast live.

Criticism was raised even within the Republican Party, and Vice President JD Vance expressed a negative stance during a campaign stop, saying he had no plans to watch it.

[JD Vance / U.S. Vice President (October 9): Whatever controversy there is about the method of execution, if it were broadcast live, I would not watch it.]

Ultimately, this decision is also interpreted as an effort to avoid political fallout with less than 20 days left before the midterm elections.

The Associated Press reported, "President Trump has withdrawn the live broadcast plan in the face of bipartisan opposition in the U.S. Congress and public criticism."

(Camera Reporter: Oh Jung-shik, Video Editor: Kim Byeong-jik, Design: Kim Na-mi)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.