Hegseth orders Pentagon cyber units to counter foreign election meddling

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has authorized a memo directing the Department of Defense to deploy advanced intelligence and cyber capabilities to identify, disrupt, and neutralize foreign interference in upcoming U.S. elections, according to Axios. The directive, signed on Sept. 22, assigns specific operational roles to U.S. Cyber Command and the Directors of the Combat Support Agencies to prioritize the protection of democratic systems from foreign actors. Officials stated that this effort will utilize the most advanced artificial intelligence capabilities available to date.

The memo outlines three related directives for the department. First, it requires prioritizing intelligence and cyber capabilities under U.S. Cyber Command to ensure foreign actors do not meddle in U.S. democratic systems. Second, it directs the Defense Intelligence Enterprise to collect and produce information on foreign threats to elections in accordance with law and executive direction. Third, it mandates countermeasures against potential cyber threats through joint operations between U.S. Cyber Command and the Department of Homeland Security. This action relies on President Donald Trump's 2025 order titled "Preserving And Protecting The Integrity Of American Elections" and was drafted in response to his July speech accusing China of interfering in the 2020 election, a claim China denied.

The directive follows a similar effort prior to the 2022 midterms under President Joe Biden, which directed U.S. Cyber Command and the National Security Agency to disrupt and degrade foreign adversaries' ability to interfere with voting. While the federal government has played an increased role in detecting election threats since the Department of Homeland Security designated elections as critical infrastructure in 2017, current administration cuts have affected these efforts. President Trump proposed cutting the election security budget for the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, and staffing at key posts was delayed. Conversely, significant resources have been allocated to finding instances of voter fraud in past elections, with portions of Department of Homeland Security staff assigned to that task.

The new memo does not direct military personnel or the National Guard to the polls or seize voting machines, despite President Trump's refusal to rule out such possibilities in the past. In January, the Federal Bureau of Investigation seized voter machines used in the 2020 election from Fulton County, Ga., and the Justice Department has formally asked 30 state election offices to hold records connected to the 2024 election as part of ongoing litigation.

Chief Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell stated that officials at all levels of government are coordinating with U.S. Cyber Command and defense intelligence teams to stop foreign interference and attacks. Lt. Gen. Joshua M. Rudd, President Trump's pick to lead the NSA and U.S. Cyber Command, told senators during his confirmation hearing that safeguarding American democracy is a fundamental mission. An official noted that defending the country against foreign cyber actors is an enduring mission for U.S. Cyber Command.