Trump Approves Public Firing Squad Execution of Nidal Hasan

President Donald Trump approved the execution by firing squad of Nidal Malik Hasan, a former Army major and psychiatrist convicted of killing 13 people and wounding 32 others during a 2009 mass shooting at Fort Hood, Texas. The decision follows a recommendation from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. If carried out, this will be the first U.S. military execution since 1961 and the first by firing squad since 1945.

Acting Secretary of the Army Adam Telle scheduled the execution for December 3, 2026, at 1 p.m. at Fort Hood, specifically matching the date and time of the original attack. Secretary Hegseth announced that the event will be public and livestreamed, stating that the public must understand the "serious consequences" of such actions. Hasan's attorney, John Galligan, has criticized the move as "political theater."

Hasan, who is paralyzed from the waist down, was convicted in 2013 and exhausted his appeals in 2025. He previously stated he carried out the attack to wage jihad against what he called "illegal and immoral wars in Afghanistan and Iraq." While the execution date is set, legal experts note that Hasan could still attempt to delay the process through a habeas corpus appeal in civilian federal court.

Republican officials, including Senator Ted Cruz and Governor Ron DeSantis, have publicly supported the decision. The move comes as the Trump administration expands permissible federal execution methods to include firing squads, electrocution, and gas asphyxiation, citing difficulties in obtaining lethal injection drugs.