Gunman in 2009 Fort Hood mass shooting approved by Trump for death by firing squad

What This is

• President Donald Trump approved executing Nidal Malik Hasan by U.S. Army firing squad for the 2009 Fort Hood attack.
• Hasan, a former Army major and psychiatrist, was convicted at a 2013 court-martial and sentenced to death for killing 13 people and wounding more than 30.
• Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth recommended the firing-squad method, and the Secretary of the Army is expected to set the time and place.
• If carried out, it would be the first U.S. military execution since 1961, and the first military firing-squad execution since World War II or the mid-1940s.
• The execution is not expected immediately because Hasan still has legal options, including appeals and habeas corpus review in civilian courts, that could delay or stop it.
• Some reports say Army rules set a 60-to-150-day window for carrying out an execution after required steps, but officials have not announced a date.

Why This Matters

• This instance signals a more aggressive use of the death penalty by the federal government and the military.
• It reopens debate about whether the government should use methods like firing squads, and what humane punishment means.
• It affects public trust in how the armed forces handle the most serious crimes inside the ranks.