Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell announced on Monday, October 5, 2026, that President Donald Trump has approved the execution of Nidal Malik Hasan by U.S. Army firing squad. The decision follows a recommendation from Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and concludes a lengthy legal process for the convicted terrorist responsible for the 2009 Fort Hood massacre.
Why It Matters
This approval marks the first successful presidential authorization of a U.S. military execution since 1961, ending decades of stalled capital punishment cases within the armed forces. The decision resolves the final executive hurdle for Hasan’s sentence, which has been upheld by multiple courts after years of appeals.
What Happened
Nidal Malik Hasan carried out a deadly attack at Fort Hood in Texas on November 5, 2009. After attending noon prayers at a mosque, Hasan traveled to a soldier readiness processing facility where he opened fire on unarmed American soldiers using a pistol and a .357 revolver. During the assault, Hasan shouted “Allahu Akbar” as he killed 13 people and wounded 32 others.
Law enforcement officers engaged Hasan in a firefight that resulted in his detention; he sustained multiple gun wounds during the confrontation. Four years after the attack, Hasan faced a court-martial. Lead prosecutor Col. Michael Mulligan rested the government’s case on August 27. The sentencing phase included two days of testimony from surviving widows and parents of the victims.
Joleen Cahill testified that her husband, retired Chief Warrant Officer Michael Cahill, died while attempting to stop Hasan. A Sanity Board report noted that Hasan denied experiencing depressive, manic, psychotic, anxiety, or cognitive symptoms during the attack. In the report, Hasan stated, “I shot to kill.”
The death sentence was automatically appealed to the U.S. Army Criminal Court of Appeals and the United States Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces. A court upheld the death sentence in early 2025. Hasan’s legal team subsequently appealed to the Supreme Court citing procedural objections, but the high court denied review.
By the Numbers
13 — Number of people killed by Hasan in the 2009 attack
32 — Number of people wounded in the Fort Hood shooting
17 years — Time elapsed since the massacre until Trump’s approval
1961 — Last year a president successfully signed off on a U.S. military execution
April 13, 1961 — Date Pvt. John Bennett was executed by hanging
2008 — Year a federal court stopped a military execution approved by George W. Bush
Zoom Out
The rarity of this execution highlights the complex legal landscape surrounding capital punishment in the U.S. military. Pvt. John Bennett was the last person executed by the military, hanged on April 13, 1961, for attempting to murder an 11-year-old girl in Austria. Since then, efforts to carry out military executions have faced significant legal challenges.
President George W. Bush previously approved a military execution that was halted by a federal court in 2008. The current administration’s move bypasses those historical roadblocks, setting a precedent for how the Department of Defense handles final approvals for death row inmates under military jurisdiction.
What’s Next
The Army secretary will now determine the specific time and place for the execution. With all judicial appeals exhausted and presidential approval secured, the logistical planning phase begins immediately. The case remains a focal point for discussions on military justice and the application of the death penalty in federal service.