Pete Hegseth Deploys Military Cyber Forces to Guard Midterms

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth issued a memo on September 22 directing the Pentagon to deploy advanced intelligence and cyber capabilities to protect the November 3 midterm elections. Hegseth characterized the protection of free and fair elections as a "no-fail mission," instructing the Defense Intelligence Enterprise to collect data on foreign threats and ordering the mobilization of resources to ensure voters can cast ballots without intimidation or coercion.

As part of this directive, General Joshua Rudd, head of U.S. Cyber Command, was tasked with coordinating with the Department of Homeland Security to neutralize potential cyber threats. General Rudd stated that U.S. Cyber Command and the National Security Agency are partnered to identify and defend against malicious foreign actors intending to interfere with the democratic process.

This military mobilization follows President Donald Trump's decision to gut the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, the Department of Homeland Security division originally created to safeguard election infrastructure. While military assistance is routine, some critics have described the timing as "theater," arguing the administration previously dismantled civilian federal election cybersecurity capacity. Separately, the Supreme Court of the United States has blocked attempts by the administration to restrict mail voting while permitting the use of a federal database to verify voter citizenship.