Updated Oct. 26, 2026: President Trump said on Oct. 15 that the execution will not be livestreamed, reversing the Pentagon’s Oct. 8 announcement. This page has the full timeline and what happens next.
Quick answer: No, Nidal Hasan’s execution will not be livestreamed. The Pentagon first said it would be, but President Trump reversed that on Oct. 15, 2026, saying Hasan will die “as scheduled, by firing squad” without a stream. Family members of the victims will be able to watch in person. The execution is set for Dec. 3, 2026, at 1 p.m. Central at Fort Hood, Texas. Hasan killed 13 people and wounded 32 there on Nov. 5, 2009.
It would be the U.S. military’s first execution since 1961 and its first by firing squad since World War II. Here’s how we got here, who decides, and what could still change.
Key facts at a glance
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Who | Nidal Malik Hasan, former Army major and psychiatrist |
| Crime | Killed 13 people and wounded 32 at Fort Hood on Nov. 5, 2009 |
| Sentence | Death, by a military jury in August 2013 |
| Execution date | Dec. 3, 2026, 1 p.m. Central |
| Place and method | Fort Hood, Texas, by an Army firing squad |
| Livestream? | No. Trump canceled it on Oct. 15 |
| Who can watch | Victims’ family members, in person |
Timeline: from the 2009 attack to December 2026
| Date | What happened |
|---|---|
| Nov. 5, 2009 | Hasan opens fire at Fort Hood’s Soldier Readiness Processing Center. Thirteen people are killed and 32 wounded. Police shoot Hasan, leaving him paralyzed from the waist down. |
| August 2013 | A military jury convicts Hasan of 13 counts of premeditated murder and 32 counts of attempted premeditated murder, then sentences him to death. |
| Oct. 2, 2026 | President Trump approves the death sentence, according to the Army’s execution order. |
| Oct. 5, 2026 | The Pentagon announces the approval and a firing squad, as recommended by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. |
| Oct. 6, 2026 | Acting Army Secretary Adam Telle signs the order setting Dec. 3 at Fort Hood. |
| Oct. 8, 2026 | The Defense Department says the execution will be livestreamed. |
| Oct. 15, 2026 | An ABC News/Washington Post/Ipsos poll finds 80% of Americans oppose a livestream. Hours later, Trump says it won’t be streamed. |
| Dec. 3, 2026 | Scheduled execution, 1 p.m. Central. |
Why the livestream was canceled
Hegseth first described the execution as “public,” and on Oct. 8 the Pentagon said it would be streamed. NBC News reported that the announcement caught the White House and Army officials off guard.
The pushback came from both parties. Some critics said a video would give Hasan the martyrdom he wanted. House Speaker Mike Johnson worried a recording could be used as a terrorist recruiting tool. Others said a public execution conflicts with American values.
Public opinion was lopsided. The ABC News/Washington Post/Ipsos poll found 80% of Americans said the execution should not be streamed. That included 91% of Democrats, 83% of independents and 64% of Republicans. Even among people who support the firing squad, 69% opposed a stream.
Trump posted his decision on Truth Social on Oct. 15. NBC News also reported he hadn’t known Hasan is paralyzed, which factored into his thinking.
Who decides a military execution
| Who | Role |
|---|---|
| Military jury | Convicted Hasan and imposed the death sentence in 2013 |
| Military appeals courts | Reviewed the conviction and sentence over the following years |
| The President | Must personally approve any military death sentence before it can be carried out |
| Secretary of Defense | Recommended the firing squad method |
| Secretary of the Army | Signs the order setting the date, place and method |
| Commandant, U.S. Disciplinary Barracks | Named as the execution officer, per reports on the order |
| Federal civilian courts | Could pause the execution if Hasan files a habeas corpus petition |
Why this execution is historic
- First military execution since 1961. That year, Army Pvt. John Bennett was hanged.
- First military firing squad since 1945. Pvt. Eddie Slovik was shot for desertion during World War II.
- A rare presidential approval. A president must sign off on every military death sentence, and it almost never happens.
The place has meaning too. Army officials had earlier looked at lethal injection in Terre Haute, Indiana, and a firing squad at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, NBC News reported. Hegseth chose Fort Hood, where the attack happened.
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Could the execution still be delayed?
Yes, it could. Experts writing in The Army Lawyer have noted that a condemned service member can file a habeas corpus petition in civilian federal court. That kind of case can pause an execution for months or even years.
As of Oct. 26, we found no public report of a new filing by Hasan or lawyers acting for him. He represented himself at his 2013 court-martial. If a court issues a stay, the Dec. 3 date would move.
Method challenges are also possible. Firing squads are rare in the U.S. and have drawn legal fights in states that use them.
Plain-English example (made-up, for illustration): Think of a military death sentence as a set of locked gates. The jury opens the first. The appeals courts open the next ones. The President holds the key to the last gate. Even after that, a federal judge can still shut the door for a while if a new legal challenge is filed. That’s why approval in October doesn’t guarantee an execution in December.
Firing squads in the U.S. today
Firing squads are rare, but they aren’t gone. A few states still allow them, mostly as a backup when lethal injection drugs aren’t available.
| Where | Recent use or rule |
|---|---|
| Utah | Executed Ronnie Lee Gardner by firing squad in June 2010 |
| South Carolina | Carried out a firing squad execution in March 2025, the first in the U.S. in nearly 15 years |
| Idaho | Passed a 2025 law making the firing squad its main method starting July 1, 2026 |
| U.S. military | No firing squad since 1945; Hasan’s would be the first in more than 80 years |
Supporters argue a firing squad is faster and more certain than lethal injection, which has had high-profile failures. Opponents say it’s brutal and outdated. Courts have so far allowed states to use it.
How the military death penalty differs from civilian cases
- The jury must be unanimous. A court-martial panel must agree unanimously to impose death.
- Automatic appeals. Every military death sentence is reviewed by the service’s Court of Criminal Appeals and the Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces.
- The President has the final say. Under military law, no service member can be executed unless the President personally approves the sentence.
- Few cases. Only a handful of people sit on military death row, and none has been executed in more than six decades.
Remembering the victims
The 2009 attack remains one of the deadliest mass shootings on a U.S. military base. Twelve soldiers and one civilian employee were killed at the Soldier Readiness Processing Center, where troops were preparing to deploy. A permanent memorial stands at the base in Killeen, Texas.
For the families, the case has stretched across 17 years of trials and appeals. Under the current plan, they will be able to attend the execution in person.
What to watch next
- Court filings: Any habeas petition or request for a stay in federal court.
- Army details: Witness rules and media access, if the Army releases them.
- Dec. 3: The scheduled date, 1 p.m. Central at Fort Hood.
📱 Our earlier Web Story covers the Oct. 8 announcement. Note that the livestream plan has since been canceled.
FAQ
Will Nidal Hasan’s execution be livestreamed?
No. The Pentagon announced a livestream on Oct. 8, 2026, but President Trump said on Oct. 15 that the execution will not be streamed. Victims’ family members can attend in person.
When will Nidal Hasan be executed?
The Army has set the execution for Dec. 3, 2026, at 1 p.m. Central at Fort Hood, Texas. A court challenge could still delay it.
Why a firing squad?
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth recommended a firing squad, and President Trump approved it. It would be the first U.S. military firing squad execution since 1945.
How many people did Hasan kill?
Hasan killed 13 people and wounded 32 at Fort Hood on Nov. 5, 2009. Twelve of those killed were soldiers and one was a civilian employee.
When was the last U.S. military execution?
The last one was in 1961, when Army Pvt. John Bennett was hanged.
Bottom line
The Fort Hood shooter is scheduled to be executed by firing squad on Dec. 3, 2026, but not on a livestream. Trump reversed that plan after bipartisan criticism and a poll showing 80% of Americans opposed it. A federal court challenge is the main thing that could still change the date. We’ll update this page if it does.
Last reviewed: Oct. 26, 2026.
Sources: NBC News (Oct. 15); CNBC; ABC News/Washington Post/Ipsos poll; U.S. Army: execution date set; Task & Purpose; NPR (Oct. 9).
Featured image: A Fort Hood memorial ceremony. Photo: SPC Alisha Hauk / U.S. Army via Wikimedia Commons, public domain; edited by Nexgen Headlines.
