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U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has directed the Pentagon to use "advanced intelligence and cyber capabilities to identify, disrupt, and neutralize foreign interference" in the November midterm elections, according to a memo first reported by Axios.
The Pentagon confirmed the directive on Tuesday, saying U.S. Cyber Command (USCYBERCOM) and the department's combat support agencies will prioritize efforts to counter foreign election interference.
The memo does not send military personnel to polling places, but U.S. President Donald Trump has refused to rule out that possibility, drawing concern from Democrats and administration critics.
Under the memo, authorized Sept. 22, Hegseth ordered three steps.
The effort will use the most advanced artificial intelligence capabilities to date, officials told Axios.
"Free and fair elections are the foundation of our republic," chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said.
"By working in lockstep with federal, state and local partners, U.S. Cyber Command and our defense intelligence teams will defend the integrity of America's voting systems, expose foreign malign influence, and ensure our democratic processes remain secure from external manipulation while protecting the fundamental freedoms of the American people," he said.
Gen. Joshua M. Rudd, head of U.S. Cyber Command and the National Security Agency, said the two organizations "regularly counter actions by malicious foreign cyber actors, including those with the intent to interfere with our democratic process."
"This is what CYBERCOM does every day," an official said, adding, "Defending the country against foreign cyber actors is an enduring mission."
The directive builds on Trump's 2025 executive order on election integrity and responds to his July speech accusing China of interfering in the 2020 election, which Beijing denied.
A similar effort before the 2022 midterms, under then-President Joe Biden, directed Cyber Command and the NSA to disrupt foreign adversaries' ability to interfere in U.S. elections.
Trump has proposed cutting the election security budget of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, while significant resources have gone into searching for voter fraud.
The memo does not direct any military personnel to seize voting machines.
The Pentagon's push to counter foreign election interference comes weeks before the Nov. 3 midterm elections.
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