Trump approves firing squad execution of Fort Hood shooter Nidal Hasan
Version 4: Two additional national outlets have now reported the Pentagon’s decision, but no new facts about the execution itself have emerged.
In short
The Pentagon said President Donald Trump approved execution by U.S. Army firing squad for Nidal Hasan, who was convicted in the 2009 mass shooting at Fort Hood, Texas, that killed 13 people and wounded 32. Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth recommended the method and Trump approved it, and that the Secretary of the Army will set the time and place. ABC News, UPI, CBS News, the Guardian and others said it would be the first U.S. military execution in more than 60 years.
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President Donald Trump has approved execution by U.S. Army firing squad for Nidal Hasan, who was convicted in the 2009 mass shooting at Fort Hood, Texas, the Pentagon announced Monday. Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said in a post on X that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth recommended the method and Trump approved it, adding: “Judgement day for Hasan has finally come.” CNN and UPI reported that Hegseth replied to the post with the single word “Justice.” [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 ]
Hasan, a former U.S. Army psychiatrist, opened fire on 5 November 2009 at the Texas base. Parnell said Hasan shouted “Allahu Akbar” during the attack, which killed 13 people and wounded 32. AP reported he walked into a medical building where soldiers were getting checkups and fired a laser-sighted handgun; UPI said the shooting took place at Fort Hood’s Soldier Readiness Processing Center. The Guardian reported that 12 of the dead and 30 of the wounded were soldiers, and that Hasan was shot and partially paralyzed by a civilian police officer who responded. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 ]
Hasan was sentenced to death by a military jury in 2013. He represented himself at trial; The Hill reported he said in his opening statement that “the evidence will clearly show that I am the shooter.” The Guardian reported he called no witnesses and gave no testimony, and that standby defense attorneys worried he was seeking execution — a concern CBS News also reported. AP reported Hasan said the attack was meant to stop soldiers from going to Afghanistan and killing fellow Muslims; UPI reported he said he was defending Taliban leadership; CBS News reported he said he acted to protect Islamic insurgents. [ 3 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 ]
Parnell said the Secretary of the Army will set the time and place of the execution, and none has been announced. UPI named Secretary of the Army Adam Telle. ABC News reported that Army policy requires executions within 150 days of the president’s approval but no sooner than 60 days. AP reported Hasan could put the process on hold, potentially for years, through a habeas corpus appeal in civilian federal court, citing a May article in the magazine Army Lawyer. CNN reported instead that Parnell’s post said Hegseth will set the time and place, differing from the other documents. CBS News said it had reached out to Hasan’s attorney for comment. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 ]
The U.S. military has not carried out a death penalty since 1961, according to AP, CBS News, the Guardian and UPI. AP and UPI reported the last military execution was Pvt. John A. Bennett, hanged in 1961. AP and The Seattle Times reported that four men, including Hasan, are on the military’s death row at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, and that President George W. Bush approved the execution of Army Spc. Ronald Gray in 2008, which was put on hold by a judge. CBS News reported firing squads were used three times in South Carolina last year, the first such executions since 2010. The Hill cited an Associated Press figure that at least 144 civilian prisoners have been executed by shooting since 1608. [ 3 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 10 ]
AP reported that Trump approved the firing squad days after a failed lethal-injection attempt on Christa Pike led Tennessee’s governor to halt executions this year and order an independent review, and that Trump resumed the federal death penalty after an informal moratorium under previous administrations. [ 6 , 7 ]
Why it matters
The approval moves Hasan’s 2013 death sentence toward execution and, according to ABC News, CBS News, the Guardian, UPI and AP, would mark the first U.S. military execution in more than 60 years. AP reported Hasan could still delay it, potentially for years, through a habeas corpus appeal in civilian federal court, so the timing remains uncertain. The documents are all U.S. national outlets reporting a domestic military-justice decision, so the immediate relevance outside the United States is limited.
Key facts
- Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said President Donald Trump approved death by U.S. Army firing squad for Nidal Hasan, on the recommendation of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 ]
- The Pentagon announced the decision on Monday. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 ]
- Hasan was convicted for the 2009 shooting at Fort Hood, Texas, in which 13 people were killed and 32 wounded. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 ]
- Parnell said the Secretary of the Army will set the time and place of the execution; neither has been announced. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 ]
- Hasan was sentenced to death in 2013 and represented himself at his trial. [ 3 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 12 ]
- The U.S. military has not carried out the death penalty since 1961, according to multiple outlets. [ 4 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 ]
- Hegseth replied to Parnell’s post with the word “Justice,” CNN and UPI reported. [ 5 , 10 ]
- AP reported a habeas corpus appeal in civilian federal court could delay the execution, potentially for years. [ 6 , 7 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said President Donald Trump approved death by U.S. Army firing squad for Nidal Hasan. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 ]
- Parnell said Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth recommended the firing squad and Trump approved it. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 ]
- The Pentagon announced the decision on Monday. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 ]
- Hasan was convicted for the 2009 shooting at Fort Hood, Texas, in which 13 people were killed and 32 wounded. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 ]
- Parnell said the Secretary of the Army will set the time and place of the execution, and neither has been announced. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 ]
- Parnell said Hasan shouted “Allahu Akbar” during the 2009 attack. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 10 ]
- The U.S. military has not carried out a death penalty since 1961, according to multiple outlets. [ 4 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 ]
- Hasan was sentenced to death in 2013. [ 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 ]
- Hasan represented himself at his trial. [ 3 , 8 , 9 ]
- Hegseth replied to Parnell’s post with the word “Justice.” [ 5 , 10 ]
- Hasan was a former U.S. Army psychiatrist. [ 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 ]
- The last U.S. military execution was Pvt. John A. Bennett, hanged in 1961. [ 6 , 7 , 10 ]
- Four men, including Hasan, are on the military’s death row at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, AP and The Seattle Times reported. [ 6 , 7 ]
Still unclear
- The exact date and location of the execution. All documents say no time or place has been announced; ABC News reported only that Army policy sets a window of no sooner than 60 days and no later than 150 days after presidential approval.
- Who will set the time and place. Most documents say the Secretary of the Army; CNN reported that Parnell’s post said Hegseth will set it, differing from the other documents.
- The breakdown of the 13 dead. The New York Post said 12 service members and one civilian; UPI said 12 soldiers and one civilian employee; The Guardian’s account says 13 soldiers in one line and later that 12 of the dead were soldiers. The total of 13 killed is widely reported.
- Whether the execution will proceed soon. AP reported Hasan could delay the procedural steps for years with a habeas corpus appeal in civilian federal court, an analysis it attributes to a May article in the magazine Army Lawyer; no other document addresses this.
- Pete Hegseth’s title. The New York Post called him Secretary of War; other documents called him Defense Secretary.
- The number of civilian prisoners executed by shooting since 1608. The Hill cited an Associated Press figure of at least 144 and the case of Brad Sigmon; no other document repeats the statistic.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- The New York Post reports that Trump approved a firing squad for Hasan, citing Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell. [ 1 ]
- Fox News reports the approval, saying it comes nearly 17 years after the Fort Hood attack. [ 2 ]
- The Hill reports the approval and cites Hasan’s 2013 trial statement and prior U.S. firing-squad executions. [ 3 ]
- ABC News reports the decision and says it would be the first U.S. military execution in more than 60 years. [ 4 ]
- CNN reports the approval and that Hegseth replied to Parnell’s post with “Justice.” [ 5 ]
- The Associated Press reports the decision and details military justice procedure, prior executions and possible appeals. [ 6 ]
- The Seattle Times publishes the same account, adding that four men including Hasan are on military death row at Fort Leavenworth. [ 7 ]
- CBS News reports the decision and notes Hasan’s 2024 Supreme Court request and recent firing-squad use in South Carolina. [ 8 ]
- The Guardian reports the decision and says Hasan would be the first U.S. soldier executed by the military in more than 60 years. [ 9 ]
- UPI reports the decision and names Secretary of the Army Adam Telle as the official who will set the time and place. [ 10 ]
- The New York Times reports the Pentagon’s statement that Hasan will be executed by firing squad. [ 11 ]
- The Wall Street Journal reports that Trump approved the plan. [ 12 ]