Last Updated: October 9, 2026 
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The announcement concerns the planned public broadcast of an execution that has not yet occurred. Potential further court proceedings and the Army’s preparations remain significant issues ahead of the scheduled date.
Pentagon Confirms Public Broadcast of Nidal Hasan’s Execution
A Pentagon official confirmed the livestream plan after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the execution would be publicly viewable.
President Donald Trump approved Hasan’s execution by firing squad. The execution is scheduled for December 3 at Fort Hood. Additional broadcast details have not been announced in the reporting reviewed for this article.
Hasan Was Sentenced to Death After the Fort Hood Shooting
Hasan was an Army psychiatrist when he opened fire at a processing center at Fort Hood in November 2009. The attack killed 13 people and wounded 32 others.
He represented himself during his 2013 court-martial. A military jury convicted him, and he received a death sentence and was dismissed from the Army.
The case subsequently went through military appellate review. In 2025, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear his petition. Hasan remains incarcerated at the United States Disciplinary Barracks at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.
Federal Habeas Review Could Affect the December 3 Execution Date
Hasan could still seek federal habeas corpus relief challenging his conviction or sentence. Such proceedings could potentially delay the execution.
Civilian attorney John Galligan said a habeas petition was a possibility, but a final decision on proceeding had not been made. The possibility of further review does not establish that a petition has been filed or that a court has stayed the execution.
Presidential approval therefore represents a further step toward carrying out the sentence, while potential federal litigation remains a separate consideration.
Attorney Raises Concerns About Execution Notice and Transportation
Galligan said no defense attorney was present when Hasan received notice that the president had approved his execution.
He also raised medical concerns about transporting Hasan, who is paralyzed and uses a wheelchair, from Kansas to Fort Hood. Galligan questioned both the location and the timing of the planned execution. These concerns are attributed to counsel and are not presented as judicial findings.
Army Develops Updated Firing-Squad Procedures
Army officials had previously prepared for lethal injection and are now developing updated firing-squad procedures. How those arrangements would accommodate Hasan’s physical condition remains unclear.
If Hasan’s execution proceeds as scheduled, it will be the first execution carried out by the U.S. military in 65 years. Its last execution was by hanging in 1961; the last time it executed a prisoner by firing squad was in 1945.
Execution Remains Scheduled as Further Developments Are Awaited
December 3 remains the announced execution date. Matters still to be clarified include whether Hasan will pursue federal habeas relief, whether any court will intervene, and how the execution and livestream will be conducted.
Disclaimer: This article provides general information based on publicly available reporting. Statements by officials and counsel are attributed accordingly. It does not constitute legal advice.
