The United States Department of Defense plans to livestream the scheduled firing squad execution of Nidal Hasan, the former US Army psychiatrist convicted of killing 13 people in the 2009 shooting at Fort Hood, Texas.
A Pentagon official confirmed the livestream plan on Thursday, following remarks by US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth that Hasan’s execution would be conducted publicly and made available for people to watch.
“It will be livestreamed. Details will follow,” the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
Hasan’s execution is scheduled for December 3, 2026. If carried out as planned, it would mark the first execution by the US military since 1961 and the first military execution by firing squad since 1945.
Hegseth disclosed the plan in a video published on X by official Pentagon accounts. He made the remarks during a conversation with conservative political influencer Jack Posobiec aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier.
“He’s going to get a firing squad of soldiers, as it should be, and we’ll make sure that people are able to watch it, that it’s public,” Hegseth said.
The defence secretary defended the decision by stressing the seriousness of attacks that result in multiple deaths and the consequences perpetrators could face.
“People need to understand that…there’s serious consequence for these types of things,” he said.
His comments indicate that the administration intends to make the execution publicly accessible. However, the Pentagon has yet to provide details about the livestream’s format, access arrangements or any restrictions on viewers.
Hasan was convicted over the November 2009 shooting at Fort Hood, a major US Army installation in Texas. The attack killed 13 people and injured 32 others, making it one of the deadliest attacks on a US military installation.
The case attracted widespread attention because Hasan was a serving Army psychiatrist when the shooting occurred. His conviction and death sentence were followed by prolonged legal proceedings.
During the recorded conversation, Posobiec also asked Hegseth whether Hasan had made any final request ahead of his scheduled execution.
“Don’t care. We’ll see him on December 3,” Hegseth replied.
Hegseth also referred to the US military’s history of using firing squads, citing the case of Eddie Slovik, an Army private executed by firing squad in 1945 after being convicted of desertion during the Second World War.
Slovik remains the only American soldier executed for desertion during the war. Hegseth invoked the case while discussing military discipline, responses to attacks and the need to stand firm against enemies.
The last execution carried out by the US military was that of John Bennett in 1961. Bennett was hanged after being convicted of rape and attempted murder.
Hasan’s scheduled execution would therefore mark a rare use of the military death penalty in modern American history. The plan to livestream the proceedings is also likely to draw attention to questions surrounding military justice, public access to executions and the presentation of capital punishment to a wider audience.
Although the Pentagon has confirmed its intention to livestream the execution, further details about the broadcast remain outstanding.
The December 3 date is expected to renew public attention on the 2009 Fort Hood shooting, Hasan’s conviction and the US military’s use of capital punishment.