Pete Hegseth announces live-streamed public execution of Nidal Hasan
United States Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced that Nidal Malik Hasan, a former military psychiatrist convicted of killing 13 people during a 2009 shooting at Fort Hood, Texas, will face a public execution by a firing squad of soldiers on December 3, at 1 p.m., with the event broadcast live on the web. The decision marks the first military execution in the United States since 1961 and the first public execution in the country since 1936.
Nidal Malik Hasan Killed 13 People at Fort Hood
The impending execution centers on the events of November 5, 2009, when Nidal Malik Hasan opened fire in a medical center at Fort Hood, Texas. As detailed by La Presse, Hasan was a U.S. citizen of Palestinian origin who acted as a lone wolf of the jihadist group al-Qaeda. He launched the attack to prevent soldiers from deploying to conflicts he deemed illegal in Afghanistan and Iraq. The shooting left 13 people dead—including 12 soldiers—and dozens wounded. Hasan was shot in the spine during the incident, leaving him partially paralyzed and confined to a wheelchair, before a military court sentenced him to death in 2013.
Pentagon Plans to Stream Hasan Execution Live
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed the execution details during an appearance on a video shared on X by accounts affiliated with the Pentagon. As reported by Le Figaro, Hegseth stated that Hasan “will be shot by soldiers, as is proper, and we will ensure that people are able to watch it, that it is public.” A defense official speaking to Agence France-Presse and cited by La Presse confirmed that the execution will be streamed live on the web. Sean Parnell, a Pentagon spokesperson, wrote on X earlier in the week that President Donald Trump accepted Hegseth’s recommendation to proceed.
Lethal Injection Shortages Influence Alternative Execution Methods
The method and public nature of the execution mark a departure from modern American penal practice. According to 985fm, Francis Langlois, a weapons specialist and professor at the Cégep de Trois-Rivières affiliated with the Raoul-Dandurand Chair, explained that the scarcity of chemical substances required for lethal injections influenced the administration’s decision to pursue alternative execution methods. Langlois noted that the president is seeking to reassert authority over institutions and project firmness toward adversaries.
La Presse noted that the last military execution in the United States occurred in 1961, when John Bennett was hanged for rape and attempted murder. The last military execution by firing squad took place in 1945, when Eddie Slovik was executed for desertion during World War II. Public executions have been absent in the United States since 1936. Data compiled by Amnesty International in a 2025 report cited by Radio-Canada shows that public executions remain rare worldwide, with 17 recorded globally in 2025, distributed between Afghanistan and Iran.
US Military Executed 135 Soldiers Since 1916
The Death Penalty Information Center reports that the U.S. military has executed 135 soldiers since 1916. Previous military executions were restricted to a small group of witnesses rather than broadcast to a broad audience, as reported by Politico. As December 3 approaches, the Department of Defense has stated that further logistical details regarding the live broadcast will follow.
