The Pentagon, as reported by the South China Morning Post, stated that Pete Hegseth recommended the death penalty and that Trump approved Hasan’s execution by a U.S. Army firing squad. The same source describes Hasan as having been sentenced.
According to the South China Morning Post, Hasan was a U.S. Army psychiatrist who killed 13 people at a military base in 2009 and wounded more than two dozen others.
The attack took place at Fort Hood, Texas, as reported by the South China Morning Post. The location is also mentioned in the India Today headline, which identifies Hasan as the perpetrator of the shooting at the base.
The decision therefore concerns the death penalty for Hasan in connection with the 2009 shooting at Fort Hood. The available information provides no further details about the manner of any potential execution beyond the use of a firing squad.
The South China Morning Post reports that the execution would be the first carried out by the U.S. Army since 1961. This is a historical comparison reported by the outlet alongside the news of the presidential approval.
The news was published on October 6, 2026, by India Today and the South China Morning Post. The publication dates of the two sources do not, by themselves, establish the exact day on which Trump approved the execution.
India Today confirms in its headline the approval of Hasan’s execution by firing squad, while the South China Morning Post attributes to the Pentagon the details about Hegseth’s recommendation and the presidential decision.