Fact check: Trump orders first military execution by firing squad since 1961

Verdict: verified — Trust Score 90/100

The post accurately reports that Donald Trump approved the execution by firing squad for Nidal Hasan, the U. S. Army doctor responsible for the 2009 Fort Hood shooting. This decision, confirmed by five sources including The Washington Post and The New York Times, marks the first U. S. Military execution since 1961. It is also the first execution by firing squad since 1945.

Platform
tiktok
Source author
dailymail — see all fact-checks of this account
Original post
https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZPLF4fHYF
Verified on
October 6, 2026
Verification ID
VIqfjhXVG3TARK2Uofmzkw

Original content reviewed

Platform: TIKTOK Author: @dailymail --- Caption/Description --- President Trump just approved a firing squad execution for Nidal Hasan the Fort Hood shooter who killed 13 people in 2009. This would be the US military's first firing squad execution since WWII, and the first military execution of any kind since 1961. This comes just days after a botched lethal injection attempt in Tennessee with Christa Pike that led to a halt on executions there. #NidalHasan #FortHood #CapitalPunishment ---VERIFICATION_SUMMARY--- Platform: TIKTOK Author: @dailymail Person shown on screen (from video analysis): Donald Trump What the video shows (from video analysis): The video features a series of clips, starting with Donald Trump speaking at an event. It then shows a close-up of rifles, followed by a mugshot of Nidal Hasan and a professional photo of him in military uniform. The video also includes scenes of soldiers, some appearing distressed, and a woman speaking directly to the camera. Courtroom sketches of Hasan are shown, along with images of medical equipment and a lethal injection room. The video concludes with a black and white historical footage of soldiers. --- Claims to Verify (grade EVERY one by its id; C1 is the post's core claim) --- C1. (On-screen) Trump orders first military execution by firing squad since 1961 C2. (Spoken) Donald Trump just approved execution by firing squad for Nidal Hasan, a U.S. Army doctor who killed 13 people on a military base. C3. (Spoken) Nidal Hasan was an army psychiatrist who walked into a medical building at Fort Hood, Texas, in 2009 and opened fire on soldiers preparing for deployment. C4. (Spoken) Hasan killed 13 people and wounded 32. C5. (Spoken) Hasan was due to deploy to Afghanistan just weeks after the attack. C6. (Spoken) At his trial, Hasan said he switched sides and claimed he carried out the attack to stop American soldiers being sent overseas to kill Muslims. C7. (Spoken) Hasan was sentenced to death in 2013. C8. (Spoken) O

Claims analyzed (10)

  1. verified: Trump orders first military execution by firing squad since 1961
    Multiple news outlets confirm that Donald Trump has approved the execution of Nidal Hasan by firing squad, which would be the first military execution since 1961 and the first by firing squad since 1945.
  2. verified: Donald Trump just approved execution by firing squad for Nidal Hasan, a U.S. Army doctor who killed 13 people on a military base.
    News reports confirm that Donald Trump has approved the execution of Nidal Hasan, a former U.S. Army major and psychiatrist, who was responsible for killing 13 people at Fort Hood.
  3. verified: Nidal Hasan was an army psychiatrist who walked into a medical building at Fort Hood, Texas, in 2009 and opened fire on soldiers preparing for deployment.
    Nidal Hasan was indeed an Army psychiatrist who carried out a mass shooting at Fort Hood, Texas, in 2009, targeting soldiers preparing for deployment.
  4. verified: Hasan killed 13 people and wounded 32.
    Reports from the Fort Hood shooting confirm that Nidal Hasan killed 13 people and wounded 32 others.
  5. mostly true: Hasan was due to deploy to Afghanistan just weeks after the attack.
    Nidal Hasan was scheduled for deployment to Afghanistan shortly after the Fort Hood shooting.
  6. verified: At his trial, Hasan said he switched sides and claimed he carried out the attack to stop American soldiers being sent overseas to kill Muslims.
    During his court-martial, Nidal Hasan stated that he 'switched sides' and committed the attack to prevent American soldiers from being deployed to kill Muslims.
  7. verified: Hasan was sentenced to death in 2013.
    Nidal Hasan was indeed sentenced to death in 2013 for the Fort Hood shooting.
  8. verified: Only six people in America have been executed by firing squad since the modern death penalty era began.
    Reports indicate that only a small number of individuals, specifically six, have been executed by firing squad in the modern era of the death penalty in the U.S.
  9. verified: Trump's Justice Department expanded permitted execution methods earlier this year, partly because of difficulties obtaining lethal injection drugs.
    The Trump administration's Justice Department did expand the methods of execution, including the use of firing squads, due to challenges in acquiring lethal injection drugs.
  10. verified: If Hasan's execution happens, it would be the U.S. military's first execution since 1961, and its first by firing squad since 1945.
    If Nidal Hasan's execution proceeds, it would indeed be the first military execution in the U.S. since 1961 and the first by firing squad since 1945.

Sources consulted (6)

Related verifications

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