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Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth disclosed that Nidal Hasan will be executed by a firing squad of soldiers at Fort Hood on December 3 at 1 p.m., the same time and day of the week as the 2009 attack, according to his interview with Real America’s Voice. Hegseth called the choice a no-brainer and said the Pentagon would ensure the public could watch the event. He explained that people need to understand there are serious consequences for these types of things, a Pentagon official separately confirmed to multiple outlets including Reuters and the BBC that the execution will be livestreamed with more details forthcoming.
The development follows President Donald Trump’s approval this week of the recommendation from Hegseth, as Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell stated on social media. Hasan, a former Army psychiatrist, admitted in court to carrying out the deadliest non-combat attack on an American military base when he killed 13 unarmed soldiers and wounded 32 others on November 5, 2009, according to records from his court-martial. The former major, who was paralyzed after being shot by responding civilian police, has been held on death row at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, since receiving his sentence in 2013.
Survivors and victims’ families received emails inquiring whether they wished to attend the execution or view it online, CBS Texas reported. Army Reserve veteran Keara Torkelson, who was shot twice during the attack and lost five friends from her unit, said she saw the destruction Hasan caused but does not want to witness any more death even as she hopes to support other survivors. A relative of one victim told the outlet that he refuses to let Hasan take away his capacity to love, forgive and hope, adding that he does not find closure in the execution.
This would mark the first US military execution since 1961 and the first by firing squad since the 1945 death of Pvt. Eddie Slovik for desertion in World War II, according to historical military records and a Defense Department assessment. Hegseth referenced the World War II mentality during his remarks aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln. No government execution has ever been livestreamed previously, the Death Penalty Information Center told USA TODAY, making the Pentagon’s plan unprecedented.
Hasan’s defense attorney told ABC News that his client was surprised by the decision to carry out the execution at Fort Hood, viewing it as political theater that undermines confidence in the justice system. The attorney noted that military rules require the execution to occur between 60 and 150 days after presidential approval, placing the December 3 date near the earliest possible point. Officials have yet to disclose the exact platform for the livestream or protocols for public access.
The announcement has prompted varied responses among those affected by the shooting, with some survivors posting that they plan to be present while others grapple with the emotional toll, according to accounts collected by CBS Texas. The case has drawn attention to the rarity of military capital punishment, which has not been implemented for over six decades. Further procedural details are expected from the Defense Department in the coming weeks.
