Trump backs public firing squad execution of Fort Hood killer: ‘Deserves it’

WASHINGTON — President Trump Friday backed the Department of War’s decision to execute the Fort Hood mass shooter by firing squad, quipping that the Army major who turned his handgun on fellow soldiers “deserves it.”

“We’re giving a man the death penalty who killed 14 soldiers a couple of years ago,” the president said Friday after the Pentagon made waves by announcing the execution would be livestreamed to the public.

“Death penalty through firing squad — and, uh, and he deserves it. Killed and wounded many, many people. Maniac.”

Nidal Malik Hasan opened fire at Fort Hood on Nov. 5, 2009, inside a medical building where he was serving as an Army psychiatrist, killing 13 people and wounding 32 others.

“Allahu Akbar,” Arabic for “God is great,” was what he shouted as he took shots from a laser-sighted handgun. He later confessed the shooting was supposed to halt US forces from entering Afghanistan and killing fellow Muslims.

Hasan was convicted of 13 counts of premeditated murder and 32 counts of attempted premeditated murder, and he was sentenced to death following a 2013 trial.

Pentagon officials have confirmed that his execution by firing squad will be livestreamed on Dec. 3 at Fort Hood.

“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.

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“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 last military execution by firing squad occurred during World War II.