President Donald Trump has approved the execution of Nidal Hasan, the former US Army psychiatrist convicted of killing 13 people at Fort Hood in 2009. The execution by firing squad was recommended by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and is scheduled for December 3.
The decision marks a significant presidential directive on capital punishment for a high-profile act of terrorism on US soil, potentially influencing future military execution protocols and reflecting a hardline stance on convicted terrorists.
President Donald Trump has approved the execution of Nidal Hasan, the former US Army psychiatrist convicted of killing 13 people at Fort Hood, Texas, in 2009. The execution by firing squad is scheduled to take place on December 3.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth recommended the method of death by Army firing squad, and Trump approved it, according to Sean Parnell, the chief Pentagon spokesperson. Hasan would become the first US soldier to be executed by the military in over 60 years.
Hasan was sentenced to death by a military jury in 2013 for carrying out the mass shooting at the military base. He represented himself during the trial and called no witnesses, leading defense attorneys to express concern that he was seeking execution. Hasan, a US-born Muslim of Palestinian descent, opened fire at a medical facility on November 5, 2009, targeting soldiers preparing for deployment to Iraq and Afghanistan. Twelve of the deceased and 30 of the wounded were soldiers. A civilian police officer shot Hasan, partially paralyzing him.
The court was informed that Hasan opposed US military actions in Iraq and Afghanistan and had communicated online with radical cleric Anwar al-Awlaki. While mass shootings are common in the US, they are rare at military facilities. The report also noted other incidents at military bases in Georgia, Hawaii, Florida, Tennessee, and Washington D.C.
Pick the topics you care about. Get only what matters, on your cadence.