Trump approves death by firing squad for Fort Hood shooter Nidal Hasan
US President Donald Trump has authorised the execution of former Army Major Nidal Malik Hasan by firing squad. The decision paves the way for the first US military execution in more than six decades.
Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell confirmed the directive on Monday. He stated that Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth recommended death by firing squad, and Trump granted the required approval.
Hasan orchestrated one of the deadliest attacks on a US military installation in modern history. The former military psychiatrist killed 13 people, wounded 32 others and traumatised the broader military community during a November 2009 shooting spree at Fort Hood, the Texas base now named Fort Cavazos.
During his 2013 court-martial, Hasan admitted full responsibility and offered virtually no defence. He testified that the massacre was an attempt to stop American soldiers from deploying to Afghanistan to fight fellow Muslims.
Before his conviction, the shooter faced extensive scrutiny over his radicalisation and prior communications. A military jury handed down a death sentence shortly after the trial concluded.
Appeals exhausted and timeline established
The secretary of the Army is now responsible for setting a specific date and venue for the execution. Under current military regulations, the procedure usually takes place between 60 and 150 days after a president has authorised it.
This final presidential sign-off follows a lengthy judicial process. The US Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces affirmed Hasan’s conviction in March 2024, and the Supreme Court declined to hear the case the following year. The prisoner currently sits on military death row at Fort Leavenworth in Kansas with three other convicted service members.
Historical context and execution methods
The US armed forces have not carried out a death sentence since 1961, when Army Private John Bennett was executed following a rape conviction. While military capital punishment remains legal, successive administrations have rarely used it. President George W. Bush approved the execution of Ronald Gray in 2008, but a federal judge ultimately blocked the action.
Defence officials have not explained the rationale for selecting a firing squad for Hasan. However, the decision follows a highly publicised failed lethal injection in Tennessee, which forced state authorities to temporarily halt all executions pending an internal review.
