Pentagon To Guard Elections

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth directed the Pentagon to use military intelligence and cyber tools to defend the 2026 midterm elections from foreign interference. The move comes after President Donald Trump’s administration weakened the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, a Homeland Security unit created to safeguard election infrastructure. Military election-security help from the NSA and U.S. Cyber Command has been routine since voting equipment became critical infrastructure in 2017. It also follows fights over voter-citizenship checks and state registration data. The Pentagon said the effort will protect voting systems and lawful voters from foreign intimidation. The memo did not order troops to polling places, but that question remains politically charged.