Trump approves firing squad execution of Fort Hood killer
President Trump has approved the execution of former Army psychiatrist Nidal Hasan, nearly 17 years after the 2009 Fort Hood massacre.
2 min read
President Donald Trump has officially approved the execution by firing squad of former U.S. Army Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan, nearly 17 years after the 2009 Fort Hood massacre. Hasan, an Army psychiatrist motivated by radical Islamic extremism, killed 13 people and injured 32 others at a soldier readiness center in November 2009.
Hasan was convicted in 2013 and sentenced to death by a court-martial. After years of appeals, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to review the case in March 2025. Following a formal recommendation from Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, Trump authorized the death sentence and specified execution by firing squad for the convicted terrorist.
The White House approval marks a long-awaited conclusion to a military legal process that has spanned nearly two decades. Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell emphasized the significance of the moment, stating on social media that “Judgement day for Hasan has finally come” as military authorities prepare to carry out the sentence.
Acting Army Secretary Adam Telle has set the execution for December 3, 2026, at 1 p.m. CT at Fort Hood, the same location of the original attack. Hasan is currently being held at the U.S. Disciplinary Barracks at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.
If executed as planned, this will be the first U.S. military execution since 1961 and the first by an Army firing squad since World War II. The firing squad method was recently authorized for federal executions. Department of War officials have also indicated that the proceedings will be made public and livestreamed, marking a significant departure from traditional secrecy.
However, further federal habeas challenges remain possible and could delay the scheduled date, as seen in similar cases. For the families of the victims and survivors, the presidential approval and scheduled date represent the closest the case has come to final legal closure after nearly two decades across multiple administrations.
Source: OANN
