• Nidal Hasan to be executed by firing squad following Pentagon approval.
• This will be the first military execution by firing squad in over 60 years.
• Hasan was convicted of murdering 13 US soldiers at Fort Hood in 2009.
• Execution plans come amid debates on capital punishment methods.
• President Trump supports reinstating the death penalty; last military execution occurred in 1961.

The Pentagon has announced its decision to execute former Army Major Nidal Malik Hasan by firing squad, a significant move given that it will be the first military execution of its kind in more than 60 years. This decision follows the recommendation from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and has received approval from President Trump, who confirmed that "judgement day for Hasan has finally come," as stated by Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell on social media. Hasan was convicted of killing 13 unarmed soldiers at Fort Hood in 2009, injuring an additional 32 during his assault, according to CBS News, BBC, and India Times.

Hasan's violent actions on November 5, 2009, during a soldier's medical examination, are classified as the deadliest non-combat attack on a U.S. military base. During the attack, Hasan reportedly shouted "Allahu Akbar", and later expressed that he believed he was preventing U.S. forces from killing Muslims, framing his actions as aligned with protecting his faith. Following a court-martial, he was convicted of 13 counts of premeditated murder and 32 counts of attempted murder, with a unanimous jury recommending the death penalty, as described in reports from both BBC and India Times.

The decision to execute Hasan raises significant procedural questions as military executions are rare under U.S. law, with the last such execution occurring in 1961. Currently, there are four inmates, including Hasan, on military death row at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. Military executions are subject to an extensive approval process that includes presidential consent and appellate reviews to ensure legality, which could also include potential appeals from Hasan that may delay proceedings further, according to CBS News and BBC.

Trump's administration has indicated a renewed commitment to capital punishment as a means of deterring heinous crimes, having previously reinstated federal executions after a moratorium under the prior administration. This enforcement marks a controversial stance amidst ongoing debates about humane methods of executing individuals on death row, particularly as the federal government moves toward resuming executions by firing squad, a lesser-used method, previously implemented last year in South Carolina, as noted by CBS News, BBC, and India Times.