Hegseth plans livestream firing squad execution of Nidal Hasan

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth plans to execute Nidal Hasan, the convicted Fort Hood shooter, via firing squad and livestream the event in December. The scheduled procedure marks a potential first public U.S. execution in roughly 90 years, though President Trump has expressed doubt that the broadcast will occur.

Hegseth stated on Oct. 8 that Hasan, who was convicted of killing 13 people in the 2009 shooting, will face execution in December. While Trump initially endorsed the plan, Axios' Marc Caputo reported that the president has since shown apparent uneasiness. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) voiced concerns, and Vice President Vance said he would not watch if the event were aired.

Execution by firing squad is rare in modern U.S. history. According to the Death Penalty Information Center, only six such executions have taken place since capital punishment resumed in 1977. The U.S. military last used a firing squad in 1945 for Pvt. Eddie Slovik's desertion execution in France, per NPR. The military's most recent execution of any kind was the hanging of John A. Bennett in 1961.

The Pentagon has not disclosed specific procedures for Hasan's case and did not respond to Axios' request for comment Tuesday. Historical precedents outline the typical method: a prisoner is strapped to a chair before a wall surrounded by sandbags to absorb blood. A medical professional marks a target over the heart, and a black hood covers the prisoner's head. Shooters fire simultaneously at the heart from a set distance; if they miss, blood loss can still be fatal.

State protocols vary regarding the number of shooters and ammunition used. Utah employs five shooters, one of whom carries a blank round, while South Carolina uses three shooters with live ammunition. Hasan's use of a wheelchair may complicate the physical setup at Fort Hood.

Firing squads do not always function as intended. Last year, Mikal Mahdi was executed by firing squad in South Carolina, but an autopsy revealed only two bullets struck him and both missed his heart.

The method is legal in Idaho, Mississippi, Oklahoma, South Carolina, and Utah, per the DPIC. Idaho has made it its main execution method as of this past summer, whereas Texas authorizes only lethal injection. State laws do not govern military executions.

Few specifics are known about the livestream logistics, including where it will be broadcast or how viewers will access it. The execution is set for Thursday, Dec. 3, at 1 p.m. CT at Fort Hood. It remains unclear if the stream will appear on social media or a website; TikTok and Kick stated the event would violate their policies.

The Army holds primary responsibility for the execution details. Army Regulation 190-55 assigns the Army the duty to choose the method, date, and location of the execution.