The U.S. Army announced that the execution of Nidal Malik Hasan is scheduled for December 3, 2026, at 1 p.m. local time. Hasan, a former Army major and psychiatrist, was convicted for the 2009 shooting at Fort Hood in Central Texas that resulted in the deaths of 13 people and injuries to 32 others. The execution is set to take place at the same base where the attack occurred.
The decision follows a recommendation by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and approval by President Donald Trump. Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell announced on Monday, October 5, 2026, that the execution would be carried out by an Army firing squad. This will mark the first military execution since 1961 and the first by firing squad since World War II.
During his 2013 court-martial, Hasan represented himself and admitted to being the shooter. He stated that he carried out the attack in response to U.S. military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan and believed he was protecting the Taliban. The shooting occurred on November 5, 2009, in a medical building where unarmed soldiers were preparing for deployment. Hasan, who was paralyzed during the incident when police returned fire, has been held on death row at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.
The scale of this action is reflected in its status as the first military execution in 65 years. The last time the U.S. Army carried out a death sentence was the 1961 hanging of Pvt. John Bennett. The last military firing squad was used in 1945 for Pvt. Eddie Slovik. This case follows the resumption of capital punishment within the military justice system under the administration's policy, which characterizes the death penalty as a tool for deterring violence against citizens.
The execution is scheduled for December 3, 2026. According to military guidelines, the prisoner is notified of the president's decision in person by the commandant, a chaplain, and a defense attorney. Following this notification, Hasan is classified as a "condemned prisoner." While the date is set, military law requires a final judgment on the legality of the execution and appellate review to proceed. Official representatives for Fort Hood have directed further inquiries to Army headquarters.