Trump Makes One Final Call That Ends Fort Hood Killer’s 60-Year Delay
Nidal Hasan is scheduled to be executed by firing squad following approval from President Donald Trump. This marks the first time a U.S. service member will face execution in more than 60 years. Setting the execution’s time and location falls under the authority of The Secretary of the Army.
Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell made the announcement on Monday. He confirmed that Secretary of War Pete Hegseth recommended this path. The President agreed to the request. This decision comes nearly 17 years after the deadly rampage at Fort Hood.
Nidal Malik Hasan opened fire on unarmed American soldiers in 2009. The attack resulted in 13 deaths and 32 injuries. Prosecutors said he shouted “Allahu Akbar” while he fired his weapon. The victims included service members and one civilian. One source noted an unborn baby was also among the dead, bringing the total to 14.
Hasan was a former Army major and psychiatrist. He was convicted of 13 counts of murder. A military jury sentenced him to death in 2013. He lost his final appeal to remove the sentence in early 2025. He is currently held at the U.S. Disciplinary Barracks in Kansas.
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth has recommended — and President Donald J. Trump has approved — death by U.S. Army firing squad for convicted terrorist Nidal Malik Hasan, the jihadist who opened fire on unarmed American soldiers at Fort Hood in 2009. He killed 13 people and wounded 32 others while shouting “Allahu Akbar” during the attack.
The Secretary of the Army will set the time and place of the execution. Judgement day for Hasan has finally come.
— Sean Parnell (@SeanParnellASW) October 5, 2026
The last military execution happened in 1961. Private John Bennett received a hanging sentence for raping and attempting to murder an 11-year-old girl. That case took place in Austria. No soldier has faced a firing squad since then. Secretary Hegseth did not mince words about the decision. He posted a single word on Monday: “Justice”. He also stated, “I am 100% committed to ensuring the death penalty is carried out for Nidal Hasan.”
According to the Washington Examiner, Hegseth believes the victims deserve answers. Describing the 2009 Fort Hood mass shooting, he stated the savage terrorist merits the strictest lawful punishment. Delays in delivering justice to the survivors and victims are unacceptable.
The Army has been preparing for this moment. RedState reported that the military developed an internal plan called “Operation Resolute Justice” earlier this year. This plan covers potential executions for four prisoners on military death row. The Army had been laying the groundwork for months while waiting for the final order.
Presidential approval is mandated by Article 71 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice. Without it, the sentence cannot move forward. The Army spokeswoman noted in June that no order had been received. That changed this week. Hasan claimed he attacked because he viewed soldiers as “going against the Islamic Empire”. His actions cost 13 lives and left dozens injured. The legal battle has dragged on for nearly two decades.
Parnell told the press, “Judgement day for Hasan has finally come.” The Army secretary will now determine the exact date. The process moves from years of appeals to a single, final act.