Trump approved the first U.S. military firing squad execution since World War II, set for December 3 at Fort Hood. The execution of Nidal Hasan, who killed 13 people in 2009, will be livestreamed by the Pentagon. The decision follows a botched lethal injection in Tennessee and comes amid renewed debate over the death penalty.
Hasan, a former Army psychiatrist, was sentenced to death in 2013 after being found guilty of 45 counts of premeditated murder. The execution, which will take place at the same base where he committed the shooting, is set for 1 p.m. CST on December 3. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed the execution will be public, citing the need to demonstrate the consequences of severe crimes.
The execution marks the first use of a firing squad since 1945 and is the first military execution in over 60 years. The Pentagon says the event will be livestreamed, though experts say it is unprecedented. The White House has not commented on whether President Trump supports the livestreaming, but the administration has previously supported firing squads as an execution method.
Experts question the public nature of the execution, with some suggesting it is unusual and potentially legally questionable. The Supreme Court has not addressed the issue, and legal experts note that Hasan would need to sue to block the public display. The execution is expected to be the first of its kind in U.S. military history.