President Donald Trump canceled the livestream of Nidal Hasan's Dec. 3 firing squad execution on Oct. 15. The move reversed a Pentagon plan that drew bipartisan criticism.
Trump said the broadcast 'might have been a strong deterrent' but that 'many very good and well meaning people would rather not watch him die.' He said Hasan 'will die, as scheduled, by firing squad.' Families of the 13 soldiers Hasan killed may attend in person, as is standard at U.S. executions.
Why it matters
The military hasn't executed anyone since 1961; Hasan's firing squad would be its first in 65 years.
Questions about this story
Free account needed to ask — your question is kept and asked for you right after sign-up. Answers are public.
No questions yet — be the first to ask.
Key Indicators
13
Soldiers killed in 2009 shooting
Hasan opened fire on unarmed soldiers at Fort Hood in November 2009.
32
Soldiers wounded in 2009 shooting
The attack wounded another 32 people at the Texas base.
65
Years since last US military execution
The military last executed anyone in 1961, when Pvt. John Bennett was hanged.
81
Years since last firing squad execution
Pvt. Eddie Slovik was shot by firing squad in 1945 for desertion.
4
Men on military death row
Hasan is one of four prisoners at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.
0
Livestreamed US executions
No U.S. execution has been broadcast live; Trump canceled the plan for Hasan's on Oct. 15.
16 events
Latest: October 15th, 2026 · 4 weeks ago
Showing 8 of 16
JK to step
Tap a bar to jump to that date
Jump to
December 2026
Scheduled execution date
UpcomingScheduled Event
Hasan's execution by firing squad is scheduled to take place at Fort Hood at 1 p.m. Central Time.
October 2026
Trump cancels livestream of Hasan's execution
LatestDecision
Trump said the Dec. 3 firing squad execution will not be streamed, reversing the Pentagon's plan after bipartisan criticism. Families of victims may attend in person.
Trump debates calling off livestream after learning of Hasan's paralysis
Decision
CNN reports President Trump and his advisers are debating whether to call off the livestream plan. Sources said Trump learned Hasan was paralyzed from the waist down and now uses a wheelchair, making a public showing less palatable. Pentagon and Army officials were caught off guard by the initial plan.
Trump says he will decide whether to livestream execution
Statement
Trump told reporters he will make the final call on livestreaming the execution, drawing a line between approving the firing squad and approving a broadcast. The Pentagon had said the execution would be livestreamed.
Brother of slain soldier urges Trump to stop livestream
Statement
In a Newsweek exclusive, the brother of a soldier killed in the 2009 shooting asked Trump not to livestream the execution.
UN warns against livestreaming the execution
International Response
UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said a government executing someone in public or on live cameras is 'abhorrent' and would breach international law banning cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment.
Vance casts doubt on livestream plan
Statement
Vice President JD Vance said he's 'not going to be watching' the livestream if it happens and questioned whether the Pentagon will actually broadcast the execution.
Catholic bishops condemn livestream plan
Statement
Archbishop Paul Coakley, president of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops, called the livestream plan a 'barbaric promotion of a culture of death.'
Trump publicly endorses firing squad execution
Statement
Trump called Hasan 'a maniac' who 'deserves' the firing squad at a White House event, but did not address the livestream plan.
Lawmakers from both parties condemn livestream
Statement
Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) called public executions 'beyond disgusting' and Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT) called them 'medieval.'
Army sets Dec 3 execution date
Decision
Acting Army Secretary Adam Telle sets Hasan's execution for Dec 3 at Fort Hood by firing squad.
Trump approves firing squad execution
Decision
President Trump approves Hasan's execution by firing squad after Defense Secretary Hegseth recommends it.
February 2026
Pentagon issues execution plan
Policy
Pentagon issues 'Operation Resolute Justice' directing coordination with the Federal Bureau of Prisons on condemned prisoners.
2023
Army changes execution method rules
Rule Change
Army regulations changed to make the execution method a matter of presidential discretion, replacing lethal injection as the standard.
August 2013
Hasan convicted, sentenced to death
Legal
A military court convicts Hasan and sentences him to death for the shooting.
November 2009
Fort Hood shooting kills 13
Attack
Hasan opens fire on unarmed soldiers at Fort Hood, Texas, killing 13 and wounding 32.
Scenarios
1
Hasan files habeas appeal, execution delayed for years
Likely
Resolves by Dec 3, 2026
Discussed by: Eugene Fidell (Yale Law School), Robin Maher (Death Penalty Information Center)
Hasan files a habeas corpus petition in civilian federal court, which can take years to resolve. Fidell says such an appeal 'can last years.' Maher notes that presidential approval 'does not mean that his execution will be imminent.' The execution would be stayed pending the appeal.
2
Hasan executed by firing squad on Dec 3
Possible
Resolves by Dec 3, 2026
Discussed by: Pentagon officials, AP News
Hasan does not file a habeas appeal, or courts deny it quickly. The Army carries out the execution at Fort Hood as scheduled, using a firing squad. This would be the first military execution since 1961.
3
Execution delayed on procedural grounds
Possible
Resolves by Dec 3, 2026
Discussed by: John Galligan (Hasan's former attorney), military law experts
Galligan says the Army failed to follow notification procedures, claiming Hasan was not informed of his execution with legal counsel present as regulations require. A court or the Army could delay the execution to resolve these questions. Questions also remain about how Hasan, who is paralyzed and uses a wheelchair, would be transported to Fort Hood.
4
Court challenge blocks or alters the livestream
Possible
Resolves by Dec 3, 2026
Discussed by: Michael Radelet (University of Colorado Boulder), Elisabeth Semel (UC Berkeley Law)
Outside groups challenge the Pentagon's plan to livestream the execution. Radelet says Hegseth's plan may not survive legal scrutiny, and Semel questions the government's motivation for the unusual spectacle.
5
Trump blocks the livestream, execution proceeds without a broadcast
Possible
Resolves by Dec 3, 2026
Discussed by: KLIF-AM, Conservative Institute
Trump said he will make the final call on the livestream and separated that from his approval of the firing squad. No platform, audience rules or regulation change has been announced, and Army Regulation 190-55 has no provision for livestreaming; the Army would need an exemption or a rule rewrite to broadcast. If Trump declines, the Dec 3 execution could still go ahead without the public stream the Pentagon announced.
Historical Context
3 moments from history that rhyme with this story — and how they unfolded.
1 of 3
January 1945
Eddie Slovik execution (1945)
Pvt. Eddie Slovik was shot by firing squad in France on Jan 31, 1945, after a military court found him guilty of desertion. He was the only US soldier executed for desertion since the Civil War.
Then
Slovik's execution was carried out in the final months of World War II in Europe.
Now
It remained the last firing squad execution in US military history for 81 years.
Why this matters now
Hasan's scheduled execution would be the first firing squad execution since Slovik's, reviving a method unused for eight decades.
2 of 3
1961
John Bennett execution (1961)
Pvt. John Bennett was hanged at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, for the 1955 rape and attempted murder of an 11-year-old Austrian girl. It was the last military execution of any kind.
Then
Bennett's execution ended military capital punishment for 65 years.
Now
The military suspended the death penalty after a 1983 court ruling, then reinstated it in 1984 with lethal injection as the standard method.
Why this matters now
Hasan's execution would break the 65-year gap since the last military execution, and the 2023 regulation change made firing squad possible.
3 of 3
June 2001
Timothy McVeigh execution (2001)
Timothy McVeigh, convicted of the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing that killed 168 people, was executed by lethal injection at a federal facility in Terre Haute, Indiana. He dropped his appeals and was executed about six years after his conviction.
Then
McVeigh's execution was the first federal execution in 38 years.
Now
It showed that a condemned prisoner who waives appeals can be executed relatively quickly, while those who pursue habeas appeals can delay for decades.
Why this matters now
McVeigh's case illustrates the two paths Hasan faces: waive appeals and face execution, or pursue habeas and delay for years.
