Pentagon Confirms Livestream of Fort Hood Shooter’s Firing Squad Execution

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced that the execution of Fort Hood shooter Nidal Malik Hasan will be broadcast live, confirming the decision came after he described the proceeding as a public event. According to Pentagon officials, Hasan’s firing squad execution is scheduled for December 3 at Fort Hood.

Hegseth made the remarks while speaking to Real America’s Voice News aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier. He told the outlet, “We’ll make sure that people are able to watch it, that it’s public.” When questioned regarding any final requests or communications from Hasan to the Trump administration, Hegseth responded dismissively, stating, “Don’t care. We’ll see him on December 3rd.”

Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell confirmed on Monday that President Donald Trump had authorized the execution. The White House referred further questions about the livestream arrangements to the Department of Defense on Thursday.

The announcement highlights a contrast with Trump’s previous criticisms of public executions in Iran, which he cited as justification for military action against Tehran’s ballistic missile program and nuclear ambitions. In January, Trump claimed that threats of violence had stopped Iran from carrying out hangings, stating in his State of the Union address that he had “stopped them from hanging a lot of them with the threat of serious violence.”

Hasan, an Army psychiatrist and former major, was convicted for the 2009 mass shooting at Fort Hood that killed 13 people and wounded 32. He opened fire inside a medical building where soldiers were waiting for immunizations and deployment clearances, shouting “Allahu akbar” during the attack. Investigators recovered 146 shell casings inside the facility, and witnesses testified that Hasan’s rapid reloading skills hindered efforts to stop him.

During his trial, Hasan acted as his own counsel with little defensive effort, telling jurors he was a soldier who had “switched sides” and intended to prevent troops from killing Muslims in Afghanistan. A military judge barred him from using his alleged motivations as a legal defense.

Legal experts warn the execution date may face delays due to potential appeals. Eugene R. Fidell, a visiting lecturer at Yale Law School specializing in military law, noted that Hasan could file a habeas petition in civilian court to resist the execution. “It frankly might outlast the current administration, and who knows if the next one will have the same penchant for executions,” Fidell said.

This will mark the first execution of a U.S. service member by firing squad since World War II. The last military execution occurred on April 13, 1961, when Army Pvt. John Bennett was hanged.