WASHINGTON — Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announced that convicted Fort Hood shooter Nidal Hasan will be executed by a military firing squad on Thursday, December 3, at 1:00 p.m. at Fort Hood, matching the location and precise hour of the 2009 mass shooting. Hegseth confirmed that the execution will be public.
The execution of the former U.S. Army major will mark the first U.S. military execution by firing squad since World War II.
“Execution by firing squad,” Hegseth said. “Army major betrays his country, radical Islamist, kills a bunch of Americans at Fort Hood. Of course we’re going to do it at Fort Hood. We’re going to do it on a Thursday, we’re going to do it at one o’clock, which is when he did it, and it’s going to be soldiers with rifles executing the firing squad.”
Addressing the decades-long gap since the military last used a firing squad, Hegseth expressed support for wartime resolve. “It hadn’t been since World War II since we’ve done that. Well, I kind of like the mentality we had in World War II, which was win. Which was understand when the enemy attacks you, you need to stand your ground.”
In November 2009, Hasan opened fire at a Fort Hood processing center while shouting “Allahu Akbar,” killing 13 people and wounding more than 30 others. He was convicted by a military jury and sentenced to death in 2013, remaining on military death row for over a decade.
Hegseth criticized previous official characterizations of the attack by the Obama administration. “So it was a radical Islamist terror attack,” Hegseth said. “Remember what Obama called it? Workplace violence. I mean that’s what we’re up against. That’s the worldview we’re up against is workplace violence. CVE. We know what it is. It was a radical Islamist attack in uniform inside the ranks, and so he’s going to get a firing squad of soldiers, as it should be.”
The defense chief confirmed that the public will be permitted to view the execution. “And we’ll make sure that people are able to watch it, that it’s public, because people need to understand that there’s serious consequences for these types of things,” Hegseth said.
When asked whether Hasan had submitted any final requests or communicated with news outlets, Hegseth dismissed the inquiry: “Don’t care. We’ll see him on December 3rd.”
The execution plan was formally approved by President Donald Trump following HegPENTAGON ORDERS PUBLIC FIRING SQUAD EXECUTION FOR FORT HOOD SHOOTER NIDAL HASAN
WASHINGTON — The Department of Defense has scheduled the execution of Nidal Hasan, the former U.S. Army major convicted in the 2009 Fort Hood mass shooting, setting a date of December 3 for his death by firing squad at the site of the attack.
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announced the terms of the execution, stating that Hasan will face a military firing squad composed of soldiers at Fort Hood, Texas. The execution is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. on a Thursday—matching the exact location, day of the week, and time of day Hasan opened fire on unarmed service members 17 years ago.
Members of the public will also be permitted to view the execution.
“Execution by firing squad,” Hegseth said. “Army major betrays his country, radical Islamist, kills a bunch of Americans at Fort Hood. Of course we’re going to do it at Fort Hood. We’re going to do it on a Thursday, we’re going to do it at one o’clock, which is when he did it, and it’s going to be soldiers with rifles executing the firing squad.”
The event marks the first U.S. military execution by firing squad since World War II. Hegseth defended the method, stating, “It hadn’t been since World War II since we’ve done that. Well, I kind of like the mentality we had in World War II, which was win. Which was understand when the enemy attacks you, you need to stand your ground.”
In November 2009, Hasan carried out a mass shooting at the Fort Hood soldier readiness processing center, killing 13 people and wounding more than 30 others while shouting “Allahu Akbar.” Following his military trial, he was convicted and sentenced to death in 2013, remaining on death row for over a decade.
Hegseth explicitly rejected initial characterizations of the incident made during the Obama administration, which had labeled the shooting “workplace violence.”
“So it was a radical Islamist terror attack,” Hegseth said. “Remember what Obama called it? Workplace violence. I mean that’s what we’re up against… It was a radical Islamist attack in uniform inside the ranks, and so he’s going to get a firing squad of soldiers, as it should be.”
Addressing the decision to allow public viewing, Hegseth emphasized deterrence. “We’ll make sure that people are able to watch it, that it’s public, because people need to understand that there’s serious consequences for these types of things.”
When asked about Hasan’s potential final requests or inquiries from the media, Hegseth dismissed them, stating, “Don’t care. We’ll see him on December 3rd.”
The decision to utilize a firing squad was approved by President Donald Trump following a recommendation from Hegseth, with the specific time and place designated by the Acting Secretary of the Army.
