Nancy Mace

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The congresswoman shut down concerns that livestreaming the Fort Hood shooter’s death could make him a martyr using some very literal logic.

Senior Reporter, Entertainment Events Lead

Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) had a mystifying take on the Pentagon’s plans for a public execution during a Wednesday appearance on CNN.

Asked if there was a risk that livestreaming Fort Hood shooter Nidal Hasan’s death by firing squad could be used as propaganda for terrorist groups, she said, “Well, they’re using AI these days. They don’t need a real-world example when they’re using AI in all of their propaganda.”

Mace’s very literal logic didn’t address wider concerns government officials have reportedly been considering about how broadcasting Hasan’s execution could fuel anti-American sentiment, especially among Islamic extremist groups.

After killing 13 service members and injuring over 30 in the 2009 shooting, Hasan reportedly told mental health professionals he intended to die in the attacks for the jihadist cause and “would still be a martyr” if convicted and executed.

Rep. Nancy Mace says it's no big deal if Trump livestreams an execution because people "use AI these days" anyway 🥴 pic.twitter.com/L60ho4MOml

Mace followed her AI propaganda argument with an even weaker point, adding, “I have a hard time buying, too, from people on the left who celebrated the assassination of Charlie Kirk, for example, who spread that video far and wide all over the internet of this horrific murder, now condemning an execution in this manner. It’s just very hypocritical, too.”

While footage of Kirk’s September 2025 murder was widely circulated online, posts came from supporters, critics and general gawkers alike.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth first announced his intention to livestream Hasan’s December execution last week, triggering questions about the optics and ethics from both inside and outside the administration.

Asked about the plans days later, President Donald Trump said nothing had been finalized yet.

“There are two thoughts: don’t show it, and show it,” the president told reporters on Saturday. “Because you know, by showing it, maybe other people won’t be doing what he did.”