Kelly calls to remove Hegseth 'immediately' over public execution plan

Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) called on the Trump administration to remove Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth from his post "immediately" over the Pentagon chief's plan to livestream the military execution of former Army Maj. Nidal Hasan, the convicted Fort Hood shooter. Kelly argued the government publicizing Hasan's death by firing squad is akin to U.S. adversaries' public execution practices, namely those of Iran and the Taliban. He went on to say the administration should be "delivering for the American people," not “glorifying violence.” Hasan was convicted of killing 13 people on a Texas military base in 2009. He is set to be put to death on Dec. 3 — the first military execution in more than 60 years. “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?” Kelly wrote in a Friday post on social platform X.  Kelly — who has called for Hegseth's resignation before — said the livestream plan, along with the Pentagon chief’s “maximum lethality" campaign, further justified his removal. The Arizona Democrat, a retired Navy captain, is suing the Pentagon for censuring him and moving to lower his retirement rank over his participation in a video that reminded troops they must refuse illegal orders. Defense officials argued Kelly was urging service members to defy lawful directives and thus violating military rules, justifying the punishment. But c…