In a decision unprecedented in recent decades, President Donald Trump has approved the execution of former Major Nidal Malik Hasan. The military psychiatrist, responsible for a devastating massacre in Texas, will face the maximum penalty via a method the U.S. Army has not utilized since World War II.

United States President Donald Trump has given the green light to one of the most severe and symbolic sentences in military justice: the execution by firing squad of Nidal Malik Hasan.

The measure, recommended by Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and confirmed by Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell, marks a significant legal and military milestone. The Secretary of the Army is now tasked with determining the date and location where the execution will take place.

The Crime

Hasan, born in Virginia of Palestinian descent, perpetrated a mass shooting on November 5, 2009, at Fort Hood (Texas), killing 13 people and wounding 32 others.

During the legal process, the perpetrator confessed to acting in support of the Taliban and as a protest against United States military interventions in Iraq and Afghanistan.

A Historic Precedent

The execution of Hasan is not merely a judicial act, but a historical event due to the selected method. The U.S. Army has not carried out executions for over 60 years, making this a rare return to traditional military discipline.

Milestone Last Occurrence Reason/Context
General Military Execution 1961 U.S. Military Justice
Firing Squad 1945 Soldier Eddie D. Slovik (Desertion in France)

Currently, Hasan remains incarcerated at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. This decision comes after all legal avenues were exhausted, including the rejection of a petition before the Supreme Court in 2024.

Source: Information based on official government reports mentioned in the original text.