Nidal Malik Hasan is scheduled to be executed on December 3, 2026, at 1 p.m. Central Standard Time at Fort Hood, Texas, according to an October 7 announcement from U.S. Army Public Affairs. The former Army major was convicted of the 2009 Fort Hood shooting that killed 13 people. President Donald Trump approved his death sentence on October 2, and Acting Army Secretary Adam Telle directed the execution on October 6. The announced method is death by firing squad. The date remains a scheduled future event; as of October 9, 2026, Hasan has not been executed.
What Is Nidal Malik Hasan’s Execution Date?
The Army’s official announcement gives a precise date, time and location: Thursday, December 3, 2026, at 1 p.m. CST, at Fort Hood. The specified time is important because reports may use different time zones. One p.m. in Central Standard Time corresponds to 2 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. Those references describe the same scheduled moment, rather than separate execution times.
The date was selected after presidential approval of the military death sentence. It should therefore be described as an officially announced execution schedule. A schedule is not confirmation that an execution has happened, and later legal or administrative developments could affect whether it proceeds as planned.
Who Approved Hasan’s Death Sentence?
President Donald Trump approved the sentence on October 2, 2026. The Army explains that the president has sole authority to approve the death sentence of a military prisoner. This makes presidential approval a distinct stage in the process, separate from the original court-martial verdict.
Acting Secretary of the Army Adam Telle subsequently directed the execution on October 6. The public Army announcement followed on October 7. These dates refer to different actions: presidential approval, the Army secretary’s direction and publication of the official notice. Keeping them separate avoids suggesting that the execution itself occurred during the announcement week.
Why Was December 3 Selected?
The Army cites Army Regulation 190-55, which requires the Army secretary to choose an execution date within 60 to 150 days of presidential approval. The December 3 schedule falls within that regulatory window following the October 2 approval.
The regulation also governs procedures for military executions. The announcement describes a chain of review involving the Judge Advocate General, the Army secretary, the secretary responsible for the Defense Department and the president. Approval is therefore part of a military legal and administrative process, rather than a date chosen solely for a public announcement.
What Was Hasan Convicted Of?
Hasan was an Army psychiatrist when he carried out the November 5, 2009, attack at Fort Hood’s Soldier Readiness Processing Center. Thirteen people were killed, and more than 30 others were injured. The center handled readiness procedures for service members, including soldiers preparing for deployment.
A court-martial jury found Hasan guilty on murder and attempted-murder counts on August 23, 2013. The charges comprised 13 counts of premeditated murder and 32 counts of attempted premeditated murder. Five days after the guilty verdict, the jury set his punishment at death. The conviction and sentencing dates explain why reports describe a lengthy interval between the attack, the verdict and the newly announced execution.
What Happened During the Appeals Process?
The Army states that the president acted after an appellate process upheld Hasan’s conviction and death sentence. Its announcement specifically identifies March 31, 2025, as the date the U.S. Supreme Court denied his request for review of the court-martial conviction.
Following final judgment on the legality of the court-martial proceedings, the Judge Advocate General transmits documents through the military chain. These include the trial record, any clemency petitions submitted by the prisoner or counsel, and a recommendation. The Army secretary then makes a recommendation before the packet moves onward for additional review and presidential consideration.
Will the Execution Be Livestreamed?
The latest development is the Pentagon’s October 8 announcement that the execution would be livestreamed. Associated Press and Reuters reported the planned broadcast after comments by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. This announcement has drawn additional attention because it concerns public access to an execution, rather than only the date and method.
The reported livestream plan should be distinguished from confirmed viewing arrangements. An announcement that a broadcast is intended does not itself establish a streaming platform, a public viewing address or detailed access rules. Those practical details require separate official confirmation. No execution broadcast has taken place as of the date of this article.
Has Nidal Hasan Already Been Executed?
No. The announced execution date is still in the future as of October 9, 2026. Headlines about approval, the firing squad or the planned livestream all concern preparations for December 3. They do not report a completed execution.
The essential distinction is between a death sentence, presidential approval and the carrying out of that sentence. Hasan received the death sentence in 2013, presidential approval came in October 2026, and the Army has scheduled the execution for December. Any subsequent change should be assessed against a dated Army statement or court decision, rather than assuming that the latest headline changes all three stages.
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