Hegseth instructs Pentagon to defend 2026 elections from ‘foreign actors’

The Pentagon has been directed to ramp up cyber and intelligence efforts to counter foreign interference in the upcoming midterm elections, focusing on tracking, disrupting, and neutralizing threats while safeguarding democratic freedoms. The move involves heightened coordination between U.S. Cyber Command and key defense agencies to address potential cyber and intelligence-based risks. Officials emphasize the need to balance security measures with the preservation of constitutional rights. The announcement signals a proactive stance against election-related disinformation and cyber threats ahead of the 2026 vote.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth instructed the Pentagon last week to prioritize and deploy “advanced intelligence and cyber capabilities” to track down, disrupt and neutralize “foreign actors to protect the 2026 midterm elections" while “maintaining the fundamental freedoms that characterize our country.”  “Commander U.S. Cyber Command and the Directors of the Combat Support Agencies will prioritize...