President Trump directly addressed two contentious issues during a recent exchange, asserting unwavering support for his administration’s actions on national monuments while also endorsing the military execution plan for Nidal Hasan.

Asked about efforts to restore monuments targeted during 2020 riots, Trump stated: “We protect Lincoln. We protect Washington. We protect Thomas Jefferson.” He explicitly named the Christopher Columbus statue near the White House as part of his administration’s policy. The White House has already acted on this commitment, including a 2026 Columbus Day proclamation designating Columbus as a symbol of “courage, faith and perseverance” and installing a 13-foot replica of the Baltimore monument on presidential grounds. This replacement directly reversed the July 4, 2020 incident when rioters destroyed the original statue.

When pressed about the planned firing-squad execution of Nidal Hasan—a soldier convicted in 2013 for premeditated murder at Fort Hood—the president responded: “Death penalty through firing squad… and he deserves it.” The Army confirmed Hasan’s conviction for 13 counts of premeditated murder and 32 counts of attempted premeditated murder in the November 5, 2009 attack. His execution is scheduled for December 3, 2026, at Fort Hood, where he carried out the assault on soldiers preparing to deploy.

The administration has approved the sentence after military review procedures, though legal challenges could delay it. Pentagon officials confirmed the execution will be livestreamed—a first U.S. military firing squad since 1945—amid debates over transparency and public accountability for one of America’s deadliest attacks on a military installation. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth described the plan as a “no-brainer,” specifying it would occur at Fort Hood at 1 p.m., executed by soldiers with rifles.

Trump maintained a consistent stance in both exchanges, refusing to retreat or qualify his positions on monuments and Hasan’s sentence.