In a rare move with sweeping symbolism, President Trump approved a U.S. Army firing squad to carry out the death sentence for Fort Hood shooter Nidal Hasan, according to the Pentagon.
Story Highlights
- Pentagon says President Trump approved a firing squad for Nidal Hasan’s execution
- Hasan was convicted for killing 13 people in the 2009 Fort Hood attack
- This would be the first U.S. military execution in more than 60 years
- Decision lands amid renewed debates over execution methods nationwide
Pentagon Announces Approval and Method
Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth recommended, and President Trump approved, death by U.S. Army firing squad for Nidal Hasan, who is on military death row for the 2009 Fort Hood shooting. Reports quote the Pentagon statement directly linking the recommendation and the President’s approval to the firing squad method. Officials did not share timing or operational details in the public statements carried by news outlets.
United Press International reported the approval on October 5, 2026, describing the action as the first U.S. military execution in more than 60 years if it proceeds. The Washington Examiner and CBS News published similar accounts citing the same Pentagon attribution and naming both decision-makers, which supports the basic facts of the approval and the chosen method. The core conviction and death sentence for Hasan are not in dispute in the reporting.
Who Hasan Is and What the Case Involves
Nidal Hasan, a former Army major, was convicted for the 2009 mass shooting at Fort Hood, Texas, which killed 13 people and wounded many others. A court-martial delivered a death sentence, placing Hasan under military jurisdiction for any execution. The Pentagon’s announcement addresses only the method. News reports do not list the exact date, time, or facility for the execution. Standard legal steps, security plans, and corrections procedures would govern any next moves within the military system.
Media accounts note the historical weight of the decision. The U.S. military has not carried out an execution in decades. Reports add that, if completed as described, this would mark the first use of a firing squad by the armed forces in the modern era since the mid-twentieth century, highlighting how unusual this method is in current American practice. That context explains the intense attention on the Pentagon’s announcement and the method selected.
Why Firing Squads Are Back in the Debate
Recent policy and legal fights have pushed execution methods back into the news. States and agencies have struggled to obtain lethal injection drugs and to defend injection protocols in court. Analysts who track the death penalty say these hurdles often drive interest in alternatives that are viewed as fast, reliable, and less prone to error claims. Idaho’s recent investment in an execution chamber also reflects this wider turn toward backup methods.
Data from the Death Penalty Information Center show how rare firing squads have been in the United States since the 1970s. The group reports the method accounts for only a small fraction of executions in the modern era, underscoring its exceptional status when it appears in current policy or cases. That scarcity amplifies the national reaction when a firing squad is chosen, especially in a high-profile military case tied to terrorism and the safety of service members.
What This Decision Signals Beyond the Case
The approval places the federal government, under President Trump and a Pentagon led by Secretary Hegseth, on the assertive side of enforcing a military death sentence after years of inaction. Supporters may see accountability for a deadly attack on troops and civilians. Critics may worry about the optics and ethics of firing squads. Both views reflect a larger concern that government often moves slowly on hard problems and lacks clear, steady rules that people can trust.
Sources:
idahostatesman.com, idahonews.com, nypost.com, legislature.idaho.gov, idoc.idaho.gov
