WASHINGTON — President Trump on Friday endorsed the Department of War’s decision to execute the Fort Hood mass shooter by firing squad, saying the Army major who opened fire on fellow service members “deserves it.”
“We’re giving a man the death penalty who killed 14 soldiers a couple of years ago,” Trump said Friday, after the Pentagon drew attention by announcing that the execution would be livestreamed publicly.
“Death penalty through firing squad — and, uh, and he deserves it. Killed and wounded many, many people. Maniac,” the president added.
Nidal Malik Hasan opened fire at Fort Hood on Nov. 5, 2009, in a medical facility where he worked as an Army psychiatrist. The attack killed 13 people and wounded 32 others.
Hasan shouted “Allahu Akbar,” Arabic for “God is great,” as he fired a laser-sighted handgun. He later acknowledged that he intended to stop US forces from deploying to Afghanistan and killing fellow Muslims.
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A military jury convicted Hasan on 13 counts of premeditated murder and 32 counts of attempted premeditated murder. He was sentenced to death after his 2013 trial.
Pentagon officials have confirmed that Hasan’s execution by firing squad is scheduled to be livestreamed from Fort Hood on Dec. 3.
“We’re gonna 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 said.
“Army major betrays his country, radical Islamist kills a bunch of Americans at Fort Hood. Of course we’re doing it at Fort Hood,” he added.
The most recent US military execution by firing squad took place during World War II.