Washington, September 29, 2026 — US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has ordered the Pentagon’s intelligence and cyber organizations to prioritize efforts to detect and counter foreign interference targeting the upcoming US elections.
A memorandum dated September 22 directs the Defense Intelligence Enterprise to mobilize authorized resources to defend election infrastructure from what Hegseth describes as foreign malign influence. The directive was publicly disclosed Monday.
The order applies to major defense intelligence and cyber organizations, including US Cyber Command, the National Security Agency, the Defense Intelligence Agency and the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency.
Under the directive, intelligence agencies are instructed to collect and analyze information on foreign threats to US elections. Cyber Command is separately directed to use its existing authorities and capabilities to counter potential cyberattacks by foreign actors targeting election-related systems.
The Pentagon’s approach also incorporates advanced technologies, including artificial intelligence, as US officials prepare for increasingly sophisticated foreign influence and cyber operations.
Foreign election interference can take multiple forms, ranging from attempts to penetrate election-related computer systems to coordinated influence campaigns designed to manipulate public opinion. The rapid development of AI has added another layer of concern because foreign operators can potentially automate and expand influence operations.
Hegseth described protecting US elections as a “no-fail mission” in the memorandum and instructed the Defense Intelligence Enterprise to use authorized assets, capabilities and partnerships to defend election infrastructure from foreign influence.
The directive also calls for coordination with the Department of Homeland Security, which has responsibility for civilian election-security efforts.
Election equipment was designated critical infrastructure in 2017, and military cyber organizations have previously provided intelligence and cybersecurity assistance to help protect election systems. The AP reported that military cybersecurity assistance has been used routinely since then.
The new directive, however, comes at a politically sensitive moment. The Trump administration has reduced or reorganized several federal programs dealing with foreign influence and election security, including changes involving the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency.
Those changes have drawn criticism from some election-security experts and officials, who argue that reductions in civilian capacity could make the federal response more difficult. Other officials have emphasized the continued role of federal agencies in protecting election infrastructure.
The Pentagon memo itself does not identify a specific foreign adversary or announce particular cyber operations. It also does not establish new authorities for military personnel to intervene directly in the administration of elections.
Instead, the directive tells Cyber Command to operate under its existing authorities and directs intelligence agencies to comply with applicable laws and policies.
That distinction is significant because the order concerns the defense of election infrastructure rather than the physical administration of voting.
The directive does not authorize US troops to be stationed at polling places, nor does it authorize military personnel to seize voting machines. Its focus is on intelligence gathering, cybersecurity and countering foreign interference.
The 2026 midterm elections are scheduled for November 3, making the directive particularly significant as election preparations intensify and early voting begins in some parts of the country.
The Pentagon’s expanded role reflects the changing nature of election security. Cyberattacks, foreign influence operations and AI-generated content increasingly overlap, making it harder to separate traditional cybersecurity threats from broader attempts to manipulate voters.
For the Defense Department, the stated objective is to identify foreign threats before they can disrupt election systems or intimidate voters.
The order therefore places military intelligence and cyber capabilities more prominently within the broader US effort to protect election infrastructure, while leaving the actual administration of voting to civilian election authorities.
