The Pentagon says Nidal Malik Hasan will face a U.S. Army firing squad, and the order has presidential approval.
Story Snapshot
- President Trump approved death by firing squad for Nidal Hasan after a defense recommendation.
- Hasan was sentenced to death by court-martial in 2013 for the 2009 Fort Hood attack.
- The attack killed 13 people and wounded dozens at the Texas base.
- This would be the first U.S. military execution since 1961, underscoring its rarity.
What Was Decided and Who Has Authority
Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said Defense leadership recommended death by firing squad for Hasan, and President Trump approved it. Reports add that the Secretary of the Army will set the time and place, which is how military law assigns duties after presidential action. That chain matters. A military death sentence needs presidential approval before any service can carry it out. Then the Army handles logistics, custody, and the execution detail.
Hasan’s case moved through the military justice system for years. The Army explains that a court-martial death sentence triggers automatic appellate review. That process ran its course, and reporting says Hasan’s final appeal ended earlier this year. He remains in Army custody at the United States Disciplinary Barracks in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, awaiting the Army’s scheduling step. The public order sets method and authority; the exact date and site will come from the Army secretary.
The Fort Hood Crime and the 2013 Death Sentence
Hasan, a former Army psychiatrist, opened fire at Fort Hood, Texas, on November 5, 2009. He killed 13 people and wounded many others during a pre-deployment processing day. A panel convicted him at court-martial and sentenced him to death on August 28, 2013, after fewer than two hours of deliberation, according to the Army’s official record. Major crimes demand clarity. The record fixes the core facts: who did it, where, and how the military court answered it—with the ultimate penalty.
Multiple outlets have kept the public tally consistent enough to anchor the story. They report 13 killed and at least 32 wounded. The focus now is not the base facts of the crime but the consequence. The firing squad approval ties the sentence to a specific method after years of review. That endpoint shows a system following its own rules: charge, court-martial, appeals, and a final executive decision required by law before the Army acts.
Why This Execution Stands Out in U.S. Military History
The U.S. armed forces have not executed anyone since 1961. Several reports note that gap and place Hasan’s case as the first in more than six decades if carried out. That alone explains the national attention. The method adds weight. The firing squad has deep roots in military tradition and battlefield law but has not been used by the Army in the modern era. Rare punishments become symbols of resolve, discipline, and the state’s duty to protect its own.
The conservative case for this decision is direct. A soldier murdered fellow service members on post. A jury of service members heard the evidence and decided on death. The appeals played out. The commander in chief approved the sentence, as the system requires. Order, deterrence, and justice mean little if the most shocking breach of the uniform draws no firm end. Mercy belongs in many cases; this was not one. The facts and the process align with common sense and the law.
What Comes Next and What To Watch
The Army secretary will publish the time and place of the execution. Reports have not named the site yet. Fort Leavenworth holds Hasan and could stage the action, but the Army will decide and announce when it is ready. Expect strict protocol, medical checks, and clear rules for the firing detail. Expect outreach to victims’ families and survivors. When the state uses its harshest tool, it should do so with precision, dignity, and zero drama beyond the solemn act itself.
Sources:
bbc.com, boston.com, cnbc.com, rte.ie, army.mil, hindustantimes.com
