Trump Signs Order for First US Military Firing Squad Execution Since 1945

Key points

• President Trump approved the firing squad execution of Nidal Malik Hasan, a former Army psychiatrist convicted of the 2009 Fort Hood massacre.
• The execution is scheduled for December 3, 2026, at Fort Hood, Texas, making it the first US military execution since 1961.
• Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth recommended the firing squad method, which had not been used by the US military since 1945.
• Hasan was convicted in 2013 on 13 counts of premeditated murder after killing 13 people and wounding 32 in a 10-minute shooting spree.
• The decision follows a series of legal appeals, with the US Supreme Court denying judicial review in March 2025.
• Hasan is currently held at the US Disciplinary Barracks in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, alongside three other men on military death row.

Background

Nidal Malik Hasan, a US-born Army major and psychiatrist, carried out the Fort Hood shooting on November 5, 2009. He entered a medical processing center, shouted 'Allahu Akbar,' and opened fire on soldiers waiting for medical attention. The attack killed 13 people, including a pregnant soldier, and wounded 32 others. Hasan was shot and paralyzed from the waist down during the incident. He was court-martialed and convicted in 2013, with the death penalty upheld by the US Army Court of Criminal Appeals in 2020 and the US Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces in 2023. The US Supreme Court denied a mandatory petition for judicial review in March 2025. In September 2025, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced he was seeking presidential approval for Hasan's execution. The last military execution in the US took place in 1961, when John Bennett was hanged for rape. The firing squad method was last used by the US military in 1945.

How outlets are covering it

Al Jazeera, The Washington Post, and BBC all confirm that President Trump approved the firing squad execution of Nidal Malik Hasan, with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth recommending the method. Al Jazeera notes that the time and date of the execution will be set by Army Secretary Adam Telle, who is serving in an acting capacity. The Washington Post emphasizes that the execution would be the first by the US military since 1961. BBC highlights that the execution is scheduled for December 3 at Fort Hood, Texas, and notes that it will be the first military execution by firing squad since the end of World War II. All sources agree that Hasan was convicted in 2013 for the 2009 mass shooting that killed 13 soldiers and wounded 32 others. Al Jazeera and BBC note that Hasan has been remanded to the US Disciplinary Barracks at Fort Leavenworth in Kansas, where three other men are also on the military death row. The Washington Post notes that the Trump administration has shown more willingness to seek death penalties for serious crimes, including against civilians. BBC notes that the US Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces deemed the military death penalty unconstitutional in 1983 but it was reinstated the following year by an executive order under then-President Ronald Reagan.

Why it matters

The approval of the firing squad execution of Nidal Malik Hasan marks a significant shift in US military justice, ending a 65-year hiatus in military executions. It reflects the Trump administration's broader stance on capital punishment, including the reinstatement of the federal death penalty. The decision also highlights the rarity of the firing squad method in the US, which had not been used by the military since 1945. The execution will take place at Fort Hood, Texas, the site of the 2009 massacre, symbolizing a return to a form of justice not seen in decades. The case also underscores the legal complexities of military justice, including the role of presidential approval and the lengthy appeals process. The execution may have implications for other cases on the military death row, including those of Hasan Akbar, Ronald Gray, and Timothy Hennis.

What to watch

The execution of Nidal Malik Hasan is scheduled for December 3, 2026, at Fort Hood, Texas. The specific time and location will be determined by Army Secretary Adam Telle. Hasan can still put the process on hold for years with an appeal in the civilian federal court system, but this is unlikely given his lack of effort to defend himself during the trial. The execution will be the first military execution in the US since 1961 and the first by firing squad since 1945. The case may set a precedent for other cases on the military death row, including those of Hasan Akbar, Ronald Gray, and Timothy Hennis. The Trump administration's willingness to seek death penalties for serious crimes may lead to more such cases in the future.