The public will be permitted to witness the execution of former US Army Major Nidal Hasan by firing squad, a decision announced by US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth. A Defense Department official confirmed to the BBC that the execution of Hasan, who killed 13 unarmed US soldiers at Fort Hood in 2009, would be livestreamed. This move is believed to be the first public execution in the United States in approximately a century.

The decision to livestream the execution is considered unprecedented in the modern era and enters uncertain legal territory, according to John Mills, a lawyer specializing in death penalty cases. "We'll make sure that people are able to watch it, that it's public," Hegseth stated, emphasizing the need for the public to understand the severe consequences of such actions.

Hasan's execution is scheduled for December 3rd at Fort Hood, Texas. This will mark the first military execution by firing squad in the US since the end of World War Two. Defence Secretary Hegseth indicated that the firing squad would consist of soldiers, stating, "As it should be." When asked about any final requests from Hasan or outreach to President Donald Trump, Hegseth responded dismissively, "Don't care. We'll see him on December 3rd."

The Pentagon had previously announced earlier in the week that Hasan would be executed, marking the first military execution in over 60 years. Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell had stated on Monday that the recommendation for the execution and its livestreaming was made by the defence secretary and approved by President Trump. The White House has been contacted for comment regarding President Trump's stance on a livestreamed public execution.

Globally, public executions remain rare, though they do occur. According to Amnesty International, 11 public executions were known to have taken place in Iran in 2025, and six in Afghanistan during the same year. Worldwide, over 2,700 executions were carried out across 17 countries last year, with only two countries performing them publicly.

Hasan, a US Army psychiatrist from Virginia, confessed in court to being the gunman responsible for the 2009 attack, which remains the deadliest non-combat incident on an American military base. The shooting occurred in a crowded medical building where soldiers were preparing for deployments and receiving vaccinations. During his court-martial in 2013, Hasan apologized for any mistakes and stated he believed he was acting to protect Muslims and the Taliban in Afghanistan.

Military law dictates that a presidential approval is required for a military execution, along with appellate review by a higher court and a final judgment on its legality. However, legal experts like John Mills suggest that Hasan's appellate process is ongoing. He is likely to seek reviews of his conviction and sentence in federal court, which could delay or stay the execution. Mills expressed surprise that the execution would proceed as scheduled, adding that the push for a livestreamed firing squad execution appears to be "attention-seeking by the Trump administration and is unlikely to occur, much less deliver any semblance of justice."

Questions remain regarding the legal challenges to the execution and the livestreaming itself, as well as the broader implications of such a public display of capital punishment in the United States.