Donald Trump Approves Execution by Firing Squad for Fort Hood Mass Shooter Nidal Hasan

• by Akanksha Mishra
• 2026-10-06 14:55:00

In an unprecedented development in contemporary American military jurisprudence, US President Donald Trump has formally approved the death sentence by firing squad for former Army Major Nidal Malik Hasan for orchestrating the deadly 2009 mass shooting at Fort Hood, Texas. The presidential authorization, confirmed on Tuesday, October 6, 2026, sets into motion the formal execution protocols within the United States Armed Forces, which have not carried out capital punishment on a service member in over six decades. Confirming the commander-in-chief's directive, Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell announced that the Secretary of the Army will finalize the exact operational logistics, date, and venue for the execution, declaring that the day of reckoning has finally arrived for the convicted mass shooter.

The 2009 Fort Hood Massacre: 13 Killed and Over 30 Injured in Tragic Rampage

The executive order revisits one of the deadliest insider attacks in United States military history:

The Medical Center Rampage: On November 5, 2009, Hasan, who was serving as an active-duty US Army psychiatrist, walked into the Soldier Readiness Processing Center at Fort Hood where unarmed military personnel were completing routine pre-deployment medical assessments.

Deadly Toll: Armed with a laser-sighted FN Five-seven semi-automatic handgun, Hasan shouted religious slogans and unleashed rapid gunfire, killing 13 service members and civilian personnel while leaving more than 30 others critically wounded.

Unapologetic Court-Martial Admission: During his military trial, Hasan made minimal effort to mount a legal defense, openly informing the military jury panel that he deliberately carried out the strike to stop American troops from deploying to Afghanistan, formally describing himself as an operative who had switched sides in wartime.

Presidential Warrant and the Civil Appeals Route: Understanding the Legal Roadmap

While the executive sign-off represents a critical procedural milestone, avenues within civilian federal courts remain open:

Presidential Approval Requirement: Under the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ), an active military death sentence cannot be executed without the explicit statutory authorization and signature of the sitting US President.

Civilian Federal Habeas Corpus Option: Legal analysis published in the Army Lawyer notes that although the presidential warrant initiates the execution calendar, Hasan retains the legal right to challenge the military tribunal's verdict through a habeas corpus petition filed in the civilian federal judiciary, a process that could potentially yield temporary legal injunctions.

Inmate on Leavenworth Death Row: Hasan currently remains incarcerated at the United States Disciplinary Barracks at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, where he is one of four convicted individuals residing on the military's federal death row.

Historic Precedent: Revival of the Military Death Penalty and the Firing Squad Method

The decision to authorize a firing squad ends an era of non-execution across military commands dating back to the Cold War:

Six Decades Since Last Military Execution: The US armed forces have not carried out capital punishment since 1961, when Army Private John A. Bennett was hanged at Fort Leavenworth following his conviction for rape and attempted murder.

Previous Commutations and Stays: In 2008, President George W. Bush authorized the military execution of convicted Army Specialist Ronald Gray; however, a federal stay halted the process, keeping Gray imprisoned on death row at Leavenworth.

Turn Toward the Firing Squad: Trump authorized the firing squad method amid ongoing legal, medical, and supply crises surrounding lethal injections across multiple US jurisdictions—a development accelerated after procedural failures during civilian state executions, including Tennessee's recent pause on lethal injections to conduct comprehensive independent protocol reviews.

Previous Post

Another attack in the Persian Gulf, British ship catches fire near Qatar

Next Post

Commercial Ship MV Royad Mammadov Sinks, 1 Indian Crew Injured