President Donald Trump has approved the execution of former US Army Major Nidal Hasan by firing squad, following a recommendation from Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth over Hasan’s conviction for the 2009 Fort Hood shooting that killed 13 people and wounded 32 others.
The Pentagon announced the decision on Monday, October 5, 2026, saying the Secretary of the Army will determine the date, time and location of the execution. If carried out, it would be the first US military execution since 1961 and the first by military firing squad since 1945.
Key Highlights
- Trump approves Nidal Hasan execution by US Army firing squad.
- Hasan was convicted over the 2009 Fort Hood shooting that killed 13 people and wounded 32.
- Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth recommended the execution, which Trump approved.
- The Secretary of the Army will determine the date, time and location.
- If carried out, it would be the first US military execution since 1961.
- It would also be the first US military firing-squad execution since 1945.
- Hasan was sentenced to death by a military jury in 2013.
- The execution remains subject to the requirements of the US military justice system.
- Hasan is one of four inmates currently on US military death row, according to reports.
Trump Approves Nidal Hasan Execution
Trump has approved the execution of Nidal Malik Hasan by a US Army firing squad after Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth recommended the method.
Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell announced the decision in a post on X, stating that the Secretary of the Army would determine when and where the execution would take place.
The decision clears a major presidential approval requirement under the military justice system, although the execution date has not yet been announced.
Nidal Hasan Convicted Over 2009 Fort Hood Shooting
Hasan, a former Army psychiatrist, was convicted in 2013 for the November 5, 2009, shooting at Fort Hood, Texas.
The attack took place at a medical facility where soldiers were undergoing medical examinations before deployment.
A military jury convicted Hasan on 13 counts of premeditated murder and 32 counts of attempted premeditated murder and sentenced him to death.
The shooting remains one of the deadliest attacks on a US military installation outside a combat zone.
Hasan Admitted Responsibility During Trial
During his 2013 court-martial, Hasan represented himself and did not mount a conventional defence against the charges.
He acknowledged responsibility for the shooting and said during the proceedings that he believed he was acting to protect Muslims from US military operations in Afghanistan.
Hasan was shot by a responding police officer during the attack and was left partially paralysed.
When Will Nidal Hasan Be Executed?
The US Army has not announced an execution date.
According to the Pentagon, the Secretary of the Army will determine the time and location of the execution.
Military death sentences are subject to a different legal process from civilian federal executions, and presidential approval is required before a military death sentence can be carried out.
Therefore, Trump’s approval does not mean Hasan has already been executed.
Hasan Execution Would Be First US Military Execution Since 1961
If carried out, Hasan’s execution would mark the first time the US military has executed a service member since 1961.
Army Pvt. John A. Bennett was the last US military prisoner executed, when he was hanged at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, in April 1961.
However, Hasan’s case would have an additional historical significance because it would be the first US military firing-squad execution since 1945. The Death Penalty Information Center identifies the 1945 execution as the last known US military execution by firing squad.
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Firing Squad Executions Remain Rare in the US
Execution by firing squad remains uncommon in the United States, although several states legally permit the method.
South Carolina used a firing squad for executions last year, while Idaho, Mississippi, Oklahoma and Utah are among the other states where the method remains legally authorised.
The use of alternative execution methods has attracted renewed attention amid challenges involving lethal-injection drugs and execution procedures.
Trump Administration Supports Expanded Execution Methods
The decision comes amid the Trump administration’s broader support for capital punishment.
In April 2026, the US Justice Department moved to expand available federal execution methods beyond lethal injection, including firing squads, electrocution and gas asphyxiation.
Hasan’s case, however, falls under the US military justice system, rather than the civilian federal death-penalty system.
The proposed execution is also drawing attention because of recent difficulties surrounding lethal injection, including the failed execution attempt involving Tennessee death-row inmate Christa Pike.
Nidal Hasan Execution Awaits Army Decision
For now, Hasan remains on military death row as the Army prepares to determine the details of the execution.
The Trump administration’s decision represents a rare use of the military death penalty and could mark a historic return to the firing squad for a US military execution.
If carried out, the execution would make Hasan the first US service member executed in 65 years and the first by military firing squad in more than eight decades.
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