President Trump has authorized the execution of Nidal Hasan, the former U.S. Army psychiatrist responsible for the 2009 mass shooting at Fort Hood, Texas, to be carried out by firing squad. The decision, announced by the Pentagon this week, marks the first military execution in more than six decades and the first use of a firing squad by the U.S. military since World War II.
Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell revealed the approval in a post on X Monday night, stating that "judgement day for Hasan has finally come." The following day, Secretary of the Army Adam Telle issued an order confirming that Hasan's execution is scheduled for December 3 at Fort Hood — the same installation where he carried out the attack that left 13 people dead.
Hasan, a former Army psychiatrist, opened fire at the Fort Hood processing center in November 2009, killing 13 soldiers and civilians and wounding more than 30 others. He was convicted in 2013 and sentenced to death. His case has remained in appellate limbo for years, but the Trump administration's approval signals a renewed push to carry out the sentence.
The timing of the announcement is notable. It came just days after a botched lethal injection in Tennessee drew national attention to the difficulties states and the military face in obtaining lethal injection drugs and carrying out executions without complications. The firing squad method, while rare in modern American history, has been increasingly discussed as an alternative when lethal injection proves problematic.
Legal experts caution that the execution is not guaranteed to proceed on schedule. Hasan could still file a habeas corpus appeal in federal courts, a legal maneuver that would delay or potentially halt the proceedings. Robin Ma, a legal expert cited in the source material, noted that such an appeal remains a viable option for Hasan's defense team.
The military's last execution took place in 1961, when Army Private John Bennett was hanged for rape and attempted murder. Since then, a de facto moratorium on military executions has been in place, despite several death sentences handed down by military courts. The approval of Hasan's execution by firing squad represents a significant break from that decades-long practice.
The choice of firing squad is particularly unusual. The method involves a group of marksmen aiming at the condemned's heart, a practice that historically used blank rounds for some shooters to create uncertainty about who fired the lethal shots. While some states, including Utah, have used firing squads in modern times, its application in a military context carries added historical weight and symbolism.
The decision has reignited debates over capital punishment in the military justice system. Supporters argue that Hasan's crimes — an attack on fellow service members at a U.S. military base — warrant the ultimate penalty and that the lengthy delay in carrying out the sentence has denied justice to the victims' families. Opponents contend that the death penalty, particularly by firing squad, is cruel and outdated, and that the military should not be executing its own former members decades after the crime.
The White House has framed the approval as a matter of upholding military justice and ensuring that sentences are carried out. The Pentagon's announcement emphasized that the execution date is set and that the military is prepared to proceed, barring any last-minute legal intervention.
Hasan's case has been politically charged from the outset. The 2009 shooting was initially labeled "workplace violence" by the Department of Defense, a characterization that drew sharp criticism from lawmakers and victims' families who argued it was an act of Islamic terrorism. Hasan had communicated with Anwar al-Awlaki, a radical cleric linked to al-Qaida, prior to the attack. In 2013, the sentencing jury found Hasan guilty of 13 counts of premeditated murder and 32 counts of attempted premeditated murder.
The execution date of December 3 is not final if legal challenges succeed. Hasan's attorneys are expected to argue that the lengthy delay between sentencing and execution constitutes cruel and unusual punishment, and that the military's death penalty system has been plagued by legal and procedural problems. Federal courts have previously intervened in military death penalty cases, and further appeals could push the execution into 2027 or beyond.
For the victims' families, the announcement brings a mix of emotions. Many have waited more than a decade for justice to be served, enduring years of appeals and procedural delays. Some have expressed frustration that the case has taken so long, while others have opposed the death penalty on moral or religious grounds. The firing squad method, in particular, has stirred strong reactions, with some arguing that it is a relic of a bygone era that should not be revived.
The international community is also likely to weigh in. The European Union and human rights organizations have long opposed capital punishment, and the use of a firing squad by the U.S. military — a first in the post-World War II era — could draw diplomatic criticism. However, the Trump administration has shown little concern for such objections, emphasizing instead its commitment to law and order and the finality of criminal sentences.
As the December 3 date approaches, all eyes will be on the federal courts to see whether Hasan's legal team can secure a stay. If the execution proceeds, it will mark a historic and controversial moment in American military justice — the first firing squad execution since the 1940s and a stark reminder of the enduring debate over capital punishment in the United States.
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