The Glenn Beck Program
The Glenn Beck Program

Glenn Has ONE Condition for the Fort Hood Shooter's Live Execution | Guests: Matt Bielski & Jill Clark | 10/9/26

October 9, 2026

AI Summary

5 min read

Glenn Beck on Public Execution: Deterrence, Dignity, and the Fort Hood Shooter

The Fort Hood shooter, Major Nidal Hasan, killed 13 people on a U.S. military base in 2009 in what Beck describes as "an act of war" by a traitor who wore the American uniform. President Trump has called for Hasan to be executed publicly. Beck supports the idea—but with conditions that reveal a more complicated position than the headline suggests.

The Deterrence Framework

Beck's argument rests on a simple premise: executions work as a deterrent only when they happen rapidly. "If you can't look at it, then we shouldn't be doing it," he says, but he immediately qualifies this. The problem is not public execution itself—it's what American society will do with the footage. Beck warns that a public execution in the age of TikTok would be "poison to our soul." He references a book of lynching postcards from the 1800s, where churches held picnics and made souvenirs of death. "If that's what they were doing in the 1800s, what do you think is going to happen with TikTok?"

His compromise: show Hasan against the wall, pan to an all-female firing squad, show them fire, then pan back to the body. The moment of death itself—the body being "riddled by bullets"—should not be visible because that is the part that gets sensationalized and turned into entertainment.

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What you'll learn

  • 1 (00:05:34) **Fort Hood Shooter and the Case for a New Kind of Execution** - Glenn introduces the topic of the Fort Hood shooter's public execution and lays out his nuanced position.
  • 2 (00:09:07) **The Danger of Public Spectacle and the Need for Solemnity** - Glenn argues that executions must be carried out with gravity, not celebration, to avoid corrupting society.
  • 3 (00:12:22) **The All-Female Firing Squad as a Tactical Deterrent** - Glenn proposes using an all-female firing squad to exploit the specific beliefs of ISIS-inspired terrorists.
  • 4 (00:27:50) **The "Bacon in the Coffin" Strategy and Calling Evil What It Is** - Glenn expands his proposal to include burying executed terrorists with bacon to further deny them their promised afterlife.
  • 5 (00:33:35) **Caller Debate: Public vs. Private Execution and the TikTok Problem** - Glenn takes a call from a listener who disagrees with his hesitancy on full public broadcast, leading to a debate on societal impact.
  • 6 (00:56:34) **Historical Precedent: General Pershing and the "Pig's Blood" Tactic** - A caller provides historical context for Glenn's proposal, linking it to General "Blackjack" Pershing's tactics in the Philippines.
  • 7 (01:03:59) **Listener Call-In: A Volunteer for the Firing Squad** - A female listener calls in to volunteer for the all-female execution squad, demonstrating public resonance with the idea.

+ Full timestamped outline available in the app

Show Notes

The Pentagon announced yesterday that the execution of the Fort Hood shooter will be live streamed. Glenn, who supports the execution, explains why he's hesitant for it to be streamed live. Glenn lays out the two problems regarding the live streaming of the Fort Hood shooter and reveals how the execution should be carried out. Glenn talks to callers regarding their views on the execution of the Fort Hood shooter. Glenn also discusses Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed refusing to admit that Hamas and Iran are bigger threats than Israel, something even CNN couldn't defend. Glenn recaps highlights from his latest groundbreaking special, "Mapping the DSA Machine," and answers questions sent in by subscribers. Matt Bielski, the father of a 4-year-old with autism, joins with his son's doctor, Dr. Eric Bartky, to discuss a miracle drug that Matt says changed his son for the better after just one dose. Is this the cure for autism? Peach & Palm Candle Co. co-founder Jill Clark joins to discuss her candle-making process, which is why Glenn chose her company to produce his new candle line. 

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