TRUMP Approves Army Firing Squad

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The Pentagon says the Fort Hood shooter will face a U.S. Army firing squad, and the order carries President Trump’s approval.

Story Snapshot

Pentagon confirms firing squad approved for Nidal Hasan after defense recommendation.
Hasan’s 2013 court-martial delivered a death sentence for the 2009 Fort Hood attack.
Thirteen people were killed and dozens wounded at Fort Hood in Texas.
This would be the first U.S. military execution since 1961, making it historically rare.

What Was Decided And Who Decided It

Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said Secretary Pete Hegseth recommended death by U.S. Army firing squad for Nidal Malik Hasan, and President Trump approved it. The Pentagon added that the Army Secretary will set the time and place. This is how the military justice system works at the highest level. A court-martial can sentence a person to death, but the president must approve before the Army carries it out.

Multiple outlets reported the same core facts. They stated that Hasan will face a firing squad, that the approval followed a defense recommendation, and that the Army’s top civilian will schedule the execution. That sequence matters because it shows command authority and legal process aligning. The Pentagon’s message was direct: the legal path has cleared, and the service is preparing the next steps under established rules.

The Case That Led To A Death Sentence

The U.S. Army reported that a court-martial sentenced Nidal M. Hasan to death on August 28, 2013, after less than two hours of panel deliberation. The conviction followed the November 2009 mass shooting at Fort Hood, Texas. Coverage has consistently said the attack killed 13 people and wounded dozens more. The Army’s account anchors the conviction and sentence, and the public record has kept the case in view for more than a decade.

Hasan has been held at the U.S. Disciplinary Barracks at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, while his case moved through military and federal review. Reports stated he lost his final appeal in early 2025, which cleared the way for an execution decision by the commander in chief. That timeline fits how military death cases progress: automatic appeals, higher court review, and executive action before any sentence can proceed.

Why This Execution Stands Out In U.S. Military History

Reporters noted this would be the first U.S. military execution since 1961. That benchmark is not just trivia; it shows how rare military capital punishment is, even compared to civilian cases. News accounts also emphasized the method. A firing squad evokes battlefield discipline and finality. The choice signals clarity to service members and adversaries alike: when a military court finds the worst crimes, the chain of command can deliver the ultimate penalty.

American conservative values stress justice, duty, and deterrence. This decision tracks with those values because it honors the victims, upholds the court-martial verdict, and reinforces order within the ranks. Some argue over methods, but the facts show a lawful process, a unanimous death sentence, and approval by the elected commander in chief. That alignment gives the decision weight that rhetoric cannot shake.

What Happens Next And What Still Is Not Public

The Pentagon said the Secretary of the Army will set the time and place of the execution. That means logistics, location security, witness lists, and the final notifications now move forward. Reports did not include the full text of the execution directive, and they did not specify when the execution will occur. That is normal in military practice; the Army announces details once arrangements are complete and legal checks are final.

TRUMP APPROVES USE OF FIRING SQUAD: President Donald Trump has approved the execution by firing squad of Army Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan for the 2009 shooting rampage at Fort Hood, Texas. https://t.co/J0266om5c9

— WPLG Local 10 News (@WPLGLocal10) October 6, 2026

The path from sentence to execution in the military is built to be slow, careful, and exact. Courts review the record. Leaders sign off only after the law is satisfied. The president approves. Then the service executes its duty. The families who lost loved ones at Fort Hood have waited years for this moment. The government has now said, with one voice, that justice will be carried out.