Secretary of War Pete Hegseth has announced that the execution of convicted Fort Hood Islamist terrorist Nidal Malik Hasan will be “PUBLIC,” with American soldiers carrying out the firing squad at the very military installation where Hasan murdered 13 people and wounded 32 others in 2009.
The Trump administration has scheduled the execution for December 3, 2026, at 1 p.m. Central Time, returning the convicted mass murderer to Fort Hood, Texas, at approximately the same time of day he launched his deadly rampage nearly 17 years ago.
Hegseth revealed the plans during an exclusive interview with conservative commentator Jack Posobiec on Human Events Daily, delivering an unapologetic message about the consequences of Islamist terrorism against American troops.
According to Human Events, Hegseth confirmed that the execution would be conducted by an Army firing squad and that members of the public would be permitted to witness it.
“Execution by firing squad. Army major betrays his country, radical Islamist, kills a bunch of Americans at Fort Hood. Of course we’re gonna do it at Fort Hood. We’re gonna do it on a Thursday. We’re gonna do it at 1 o’clock, which is when he did it,” Hegseth said. “And it’s gonna be soldiers with rifles executing the firing squad.”
“We’ll make sure that people are able to watch it. That it’s public. Because people need to understand that there’s serious consequences for these types of things.”
While the execution itself is permitted under the military justice system, a public execution does not necessarily mean that Americans will be allowed to show up at Fort Hood and watch.
Under the Army’s execution procedures, authorized witnesses can attend executions, including designated military officials and other approved observers.
Journalists, victims’ family representatives, and other individuals may also be permitted to witness proceedings under applicable military regulations.
However, Hegseth has not specified whether his announcement means allowing additional members of the public to attend, expanding media access.
According to the Associated Press, legal experts have raised questions about the military’s execution procedures, while Hasan could still pursue federal judicial review that might delay the scheduled execution.
The announcement marks a dramatic departure from the Obama-era handling of the Fort Hood massacre, which was initially classified by the Pentagon as an incident of workplace violence despite Hasan’s admitted ideological motivations.
During the interview, Hegseth condemned that characterization.
“Remember what Obama called it? Workplace violence.”
Hegseth insisted the massacre was an Islamist terrorist attack committed by an American military officer who had turned against his fellow service members.
He also confirmed that the firing squad would consist of soldiers armed with rifles.
The exchange took an even sharper turn when Posobiec asked whether Hasan had made any final requests or attempted to contact President Trump.
Hegseth’s response was just two words:
“Don’t care.”
He then added:
“We’ll see him on December 3rd.”
Secretary of War @PeteHegseth told @JackPosobiec the Army will execute Fort Hood jihadist Nidal Malik Hasan by public firing squad on December 3, at the post, on a Thursday, at 1 p.m., the same hour he opened fire. https://t.co/K75vUOe6ZS
— The Gateway Pundit (@gatewaypundit) October 8, 2026
Trump Approves Death Sentence After More Than a Decade on Death Row
On November 5, 2009, Hasan, then a U.S. Army major and psychiatrist, opened fire inside a soldier processing facility at Fort Hood, Texas.
Witnesses reported that Hasan shouted “Allahu Akbar” during the assault as he targeted fellow American service members.
Thirteen people were murdered, and another 32 were wounded before responding authorities stopped the attack.
During his 2013 court-martial, Hasan acknowledged responsibility for the shooting and described himself as a soldier who had switched sides. He claimed he was attempting to defend the Taliban and other Islamist fighters from American military operations in Afghanistan.
A military jury convicted him in August 2013 and sentenced him to death.
Yet Hasan remained alive on military death row for more than 13 years as his case worked its way through the appeals process.
That changed under President Donald Trump.
According to an official U.S. Army announcement released October 7, Trump formally approved Hasan’s death sentence on October 2, following the completion of his military appellate proceedings.
Acting Secretary of the Army Adam Telle subsequently issued the execution directive on October 6, officially establishing the date, location, and method of execution.
If carried out as scheduled, Hasan’s execution will be the first conducted by the U.S. military since 1961 and the first military firing squad execution since World War II.
The last American soldier executed by military firing squad was Private Eddie Slovik, who was put to death for desertion in January 1945.
The Gateway Pundit has followed the Fort Hood terrorist’s case for years, documenting both the horrific massacre and the lengthy battle to carry out his death sentence.
In September 2025, The Gateway Pundit reported that the Pentagon was preparing to seek President Trump’s authorization to execute Hasan, potentially ending decades without a military execution.
On October 5, 2026, Cristina Laila reported that Trump had approved Hegseth’s recommendation to execute Hasan by firing squad.
The Gateway Pundit also reported Wednesday that the Army had officially scheduled the execution for December 3 at Fort Hood.
Now, Hegseth has revealed another significant detail: The execution will not be conducted entirely behind closed doors.
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