Trump approves firing squad execution for Fort Hood shooter Nidal Hasan

President Donald Trump approved the execution by firing squad of Nidal Hasan, a U.S. Army psychiatrist convicted of killing 13 people and wounding 32 others during a shooting at Fort Hood, Texas in 2009. The decision was made following a recommendation from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, announced on October 5th by Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell via social media platform X. This marks the first military execution since 1961, and Hasan will be the first soldier executed after being convicted in court-martial proceedings.

Hasan had been sentenced to death by a military jury in 2013 for carrying out the Al-Qaeda-inspired mass shooting at Fort Hood, where he shouted "Allahu Akbar" during his attack. The execution is scheduled to take place within 60 to 150 days after Trump's approval, with details such as time and location being determined by the Secretary of the Army. Hasan chose to represent himself in his trial without calling any witnesses or testifying, leading court-appointed defense attorneys to believe he was seeking execution. The attack occurred at a facility that served as a staging point for soldiers deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan, raising concerns about security at military bases.