Why? To make you ask that question.

They want you being appalled about what they are doing, so they can go tell their base that you support a Muslim terrorist and murderer. They want to portray you as a deranged sociopath, more concerned about the killer than his victims.

All they have to do is commit an atrocity against a despicable person, and our outrage at the atrocity can be portrayed as treasonous: We are providing aid and comfort to an enemy. Their base gets to be disgusted by us, and driven to support them.

Fascists want public executions to make the population more comfortable with state initiated violence. Iirc it’s part of project 2025

Probably mostly because they are depraved sickos who get off on death, suffering, and ratings. This is a grotesque sport to them.

Secondly because Hassan committed the attacks as a soldier on a US base. Hegseth probably wants to send a message to other soldiers of the consequences of such actions. He’s been doing that since day one in the role.

Thirdly Hassan is a Muslim and grew weary of the horrors inflicted upon predominately Muslim nations by the US military. Can’t have anyone starting to have ethics in the military. Good soldiers follow orders. Islamophobia runs deep in the US government.

But let’s be real at the end of the day every justification for this will backfire. Potential copycats will watch and see themselves as a future star of the same series. The show of force to deter copycats will only do the opposite. That’s basically been the primary consequence of every US military engagement since the Korean War but even further to the merciless genocide campaigns against the indigenous folks of North America.

Because these are petty, weak men desperately trying to appear strong.

Public executions also permitted the state to project its superiority over political opponents.

Nazi Germany utilized public execution by hanging, shooting, and decapitation.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_execution

Because trump and the republicans are down in the polls.

This is standard procedure for trump. Make a horrific mess, then distract people by doings something outrageous.

If gas prices are up, then shoot someone.

This is what fascists do. There are no rules anymore, no moral or ethical actions. When there are no consequences for grotesque behavior, it grows, expands, and becomes normalized. Those who are like-minded now have kinship with the demented people in charge.

Because it’s a military execution, protocol of which hasn’t really changed.

This is the actual answer, ideologies aside, lol