Mark Kelly Introduces Bill to Ban Public Broadcast of Military Executions

Senator Mark Kelly (D-AZ) has introduced a bill prohibiting the public broadcast of military executions.

Context and What the Bill Does

Last week, the Trump Administration suggested that the execution of Nidal Hasan, the man who murdered 13 U.S. service members and wounded 32 at Fort Hood in 2009, would be livestreamed, which sparked controversy.

Sen. Kelly was among those who condemned the idea on social media, writing, "Pete Hegseth announced that the Department of Defense would publicly execute Nidal Hasan and live stream the execution. There is no doubt that Nidal Hasan is a murderer who took the lives of 13 people and injured dozens. He should face justice for that."

"But a public execution? Here in the United States? It's the kind of thing Iran and the Taliban do," he added.

Representative Yassamin Ansari (D-AZ) similarly stated, "In Trump's America, we're doing public executions now. WTF. This is what happens under brutal dictatorships like Iran and Afghanistan. It's all part of Trump's authoritarian takeover of the United States — and Republicans in Congress have enabled his agenda at every step."

The Trump Administration ultimately decided against livestreaming the execution.

Nevertheless, Sen. Kelly's No Public Executions in America Act explicitly prohibits federal officials and individuals acting under the authority of the Department of Defense from recording or publicly broadcasting executions conducted under the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) and bans federal funds from being used in the broadcasting of executions.

What Kelly is Saying

"Livestreaming an execution is un-American and dangerous. It is the kind of thing we see with regimes like Iran and the Taliban in Afghanistan, and it won't make Americans any safer," the Arizona Senator said in his press release, adding, "The No Public Executions in America Act will put a stop to this plan and any like it in the future."