Trump approves firing squad execution for Fort Hood shooter Nidal Hasan, first US military execution since 1961
President Donald Trump has approved the execution of former US Army Major Nidal Hasan by firing squad for the 2009 Fort Hood mass shooting that killed 13 people and wounded 32 others. The Pentagon announced the decision, marking the first US military execution since 1961. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth recommended the execution, and Trump approved it. The execution is scheduled for 3 December at Fort Hood, Texas.
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Pentagon announces firing squad execution for Fort Hood shooter, first US military execution since WWII
The Pentagon has announced that former US Army major Nidal Hasan will be executed by firing squad, marking the first military execution in over 60 years. Hasan fatally shot 13 unarmed soldiers and injured 32 others at Fort Hood, Texas, in 2009, in the deadliest non-combat attack on a US military base. Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell stated on social media that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth recommended the execution and President Donald Trump approved it. The execution is scheduled for 3 December at Fort Hood, as announced by the Secretary of the Army. Hasan, a US Army psychiatrist, admitted in court to being the gunman and apologized for 'any mistakes,' stating during his 2013 court-martial that he believed he was protecting Muslims and the Taliban in Afghanistan. The military death penalty requires presidential approval and appellate review; it was deemed unconstitutional in 1983 but reinstated in 1984 by executive order under President Ronald Reagan. Trump, a proponent of the federal death penalty, reinstated it via executive order in January 2025, describing capital punishment as an essential tool for deterring heinous crimes.
Trump approves firing squad execution for Fort Hood shooter Nidal Hasan
Multiple news outlets report that President Donald Trump has approved the execution of former U.S. Army Major Nidal Hasan by firing squad. Hasan was convicted for the 2009 mass shooting at Fort Hood, Texas, which killed 13 people. The execution method, a firing squad, is a rare form of capital punishment in the U.S. military justice system. Reports from The Washington Post, NBC News, ABC News, and Yahoo indicate that the Pentagon is set to carry out the execution. The decision has prompted discussions about the legality and use of firing squad executions in the United States, as covered by the Bergen Record. The execution marks a significant and rare use of the military death penalty.
Read sourceTrump Approves Firing Squad Execution for Fort Hood Shooter Nidal Hasan, First Since 1945
Multiple news outlets report that former President Donald Trump has approved the execution of Nidal Hasan, the former U.S. Army major convicted for the 2009 Fort Hood shooting that killed 13 people, by firing squad. This would be the first military execution by firing squad since 1945. The reports, aggregated by Google News from sources including Military.com, Yahoo, Click2Houston, NBC News, and the BBC, indicate that the decision marks a historic use of this method of execution in the U.S. military. The execution is attributed to Trump's approval, and the reports note the rarity of this method, which has not been used since World War Two.
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Trump approves first US military execution in over 60 years for Fort Hood shooter
US President Donald Trump has approved the execution of Nidal Hasan, a former Army psychiatrist who killed 13 people and wounded 32 others in a 2009 mass shooting at Fort Hood, Texas. According to the Pentagon, Hasan will be executed by a firing squad, marking the first military execution in the United States since 1961. Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell announced on X that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth recommended the execution and Trump approved it, though the time and place have not been set. The execution must occur between 60 and 150 days after presidential approval, per military guidelines. However, the New York Times reported the execution could still be stopped, citing a similar 2008 case. The approval comes days after a failed execution attempt in Tennessee, where convicted murderer Christa Pike survived two lethal injections, reigniting debate over the death penalty. Hasan, who was born in the US to Palestinian parents and expressed no remorse, said he carried out the attack in the name of jihad. He is one of four death row inmates in the military justice system. If carried out, this would be the first federal execution since January 2021, when Trump authorized 13 executions in his final weeks in office.
Read sourceTrump approves firing squad execution of Fort Hood mass shooter Nidal Hasan
President Donald Trump has approved the execution of Nidal Malik Hasan, the former U.S. Army major convicted for the 2009 mass shooting at Fort Hood, Texas, which killed 13 people and injured over 30 others. The execution will be carried out by firing squad, marking the first time the U.S. military has used this method in 65 years. Hasan was sentenced to death in 2013 for the attack, which he carried out while shouting 'Allahu Akbar.' The decision to use a firing squad rather than lethal injection follows a lengthy legal process. Multiple news outlets, including USA Today, The New York Times, NBC News, and People.com, reported on the development, citing official sources. The execution is expected to proceed after the completion of remaining appeals.
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