Pete Hegseth vows to make first firing squad execution in decades ‘public’

Pentagon Plans Public Livestream of Fort Hood Shooter’s Execution

Earthguardiansonline.com – The Pentagon says the planned execution of Nidal Hasan, the former Army major convicted of killing 13 people in the 2009 Fort Hood shooting, will be made available to the public through a livestream.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth discussed the planned public visibility of the execution during an interview Wednesday aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln. Hasan is scheduled to be executed by firing squad at Fort Hood on December 3 at 2 p.m. Eastern Time, or 1 p.m. Central Time.

“We’ll make sure that people are able to watch it, that it’s public, because people need to understand that there’s serious consequences for these types of things,”

Hegseth made the remarks while speaking with far-right podcaster Jack Posobiec. A Pentagon official later said the execution would be livestreamed, though further information about access, production arrangements, or viewing restrictions was not immediately provided.

Execution Date Set at Fort Hood

Acting Army Secretary Adam Telle set the December 3 execution date. The event is planned for Fort Hood, the Texas Army installation where the deadly attack took place more than 17 years earlier.

The Pentagon announced Monday evening that Hasan would be put to death by firing squad. Hegseth recommended that method, and President Donald Trump approved it.

Hegseth said the timing and setting were intended to mirror elements of the 2009 attack. He described an execution scheduled for Thursday at 1 p.m. Central Time, involving soldiers armed with rifles.

“A Thursday, we’re going to do it at one o’clock, which is when he did it, and it’s going to be soldiers with rifles executing the firing squad.”

The planned execution would mark the first firing-squad execution carried out by the US Army since World War II. Its public broadcast would also place renewed attention on the military justice system, the death penalty within that system, and the lasting impact of the Fort Hood attack on service members and their families.

The 2009 Fort Hood Attack

Hasan was convicted in July 2013 on 13 counts of premeditated murder and 32 counts of attempted murder. The shootings occurred at a medical processing center where troops were receiving medical checks before deployments.

During his court-martial, Hasan told a panel of 13 officers that he had selected soldiers who were preparing to deploy to Afghanistan. He said they would be participating in what he called an illegal war.

On the day of the attack, Hasan began firing inside the processing center. As people fled through the rear exit, he pursued soldiers outside. Police confronted him there, leading to an exchange of gunfire in which Hasan was eventually struck.

The killings devastated the Fort Hood community and became one of the deadliest attacks on a US military installation. The number of attempted-murder convictions reflected the many additional people wounded or targeted during the assault.

Public Access and Broader Questions

Officials have not outlined the full process for the livestream, including who will be permitted to view it, whether families of victims will receive special access, or what safeguards may be used in presenting the execution publicly. Earlier Thursday, the Pentagon directed questions about publicity arrangements to the Army, which did not immediately provide details.

The decision to make the execution public signals an effort by Hegseth to emphasize punishment and deterrence. In the interview, he connected the planned execution to his view of wartime resolve and military discipline.

“The mentality we had in World War II, which was win. Which was understand when the enemy attacks you, you stand your ground.”

For those affected by the Fort Hood attack, the scheduled execution represents another major moment in a case that has continued for years through the military justice process. The planned date, method, and public livestream have also made the case a significant test of how the military handles an execution that is both historically unusual and highly visible.