From Slate Magazine · Molly Olmstead · · 2m
Trump Walks Back Execution Livestream Plan
Trump cancels public livestream of Nidal Hasan's execution after backlash from conservatives.
In brief
Trump cancels public livestream of Nidal Hasan's execution after backlash from conservatives. Trump reversed his administration's plan to livestream Hasan's execution after conservative leaders and tech bros initially supported it but faced strong opposition. Originally reported by Slate Magazine.
Trump Walks Back Execution Plan
President Donald Trump walked back his administration’s plan to livestream the firing squad execution of Nidal Hasan, who killed 13 soldiers at Fort Hood in 2009.
Initial Backlash
Joe Kent, former National Counterterrorism Center director, called the plan 'a stain on our morality', and a daughter of Hasan’s victim said it 'stabs us in the back'.
Conservative Opposition
Almost all Republican lawmakers criticized the idea, with Rep. Austin Scott writing 'Live-streaming executions is what jihadists do', and Vice President J.D. Vance declining to criticize it.
Tech Bro Support
Palmer Luckey, co-founder of Anduril Industries, argued executions should be 'public and brutal' to 'keep that from running out of control' by confronting voters.
Tech Bro Rationale
Joe Lonsdale, co-founder of Palantir, claimed society is 'too soft' and that 'bold, virtuous men' should 'deter evil' by hanging criminals in public.
Christian Nationalist Alliance
A coalition of Christian nationalists and tech bros united behind the idea that public executions are 'good' and 'aligned with our natural and national order'.
Theobros Influence
The 'Jim Crow Theobros', whiskey-drinking, bearded evangelical leaders, see noble masculinity as the solution to societal ills and oppose women’s rights.
Theobros Proposals
Pastor Joel Webbon suggested executing Mike Huckabee for treason, while Pastor Dale Partridge proposed weekly public executions to make America 'safer and more beautiful'.
Hegseth's Stance
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth saw no problem with public executions, praying for 'overwhelming violence of action against those who deserve no mercy'.
Evangelical Division
Most evangelicals opposed the livestream, with Walter Kim warning it 'risks turning one of the state’s most solemn responsibilities into a public spectacle'.
Traditional Leaders
Traditional evangelical leaders like Mark Driscoll defended the idea, citing Genesis 9:6 to claim public executions 'remind people of the sanctity of human life'.
Theobros and Tech Bro Split
Theobros and tech bros initially united but faced backlash, showing their ideas were too extreme even for MAGA.
Consequence
The plan backfired, making the supporters seem 'too grotesquely bloodthirsty' rather than strong in the conservative movement.
The big picture
Trump reversed his administration's plan to livestream Hasan's execution after conservative leaders and tech bros initially supported it but faced strong opposition.
