Hegseth Orders Military Intelligence and Cyber Forces to Guard 2026 Midterms, Calls Election Security a “No-Fail Mission”

A Sept. 22 Pentagon memorandum directs Cyber Command, the NSA, DIA and NGA to mobilize against foreign threats to U.S. election infrastructure ahead of the Nov. 3 vote.

KR

By Khurram Ali Raza
Faith & Freedom News · Source: Monitoring Desk
Published September 29, 2026

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has ordered U.S. military intelligence and cyber agencies to mobilize their capabilities to protect the 2026 midterm elections from foreign interference, declaring election security a “no-fail mission.”

In a Sept. 22 memorandum released Monday, Hegseth directed U.S. Cyber Command, the National Security Agency, the Defense Intelligence Agency and the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency to prioritize identifying and countering foreign threats to U.S. election infrastructure.

“I am therefore directing the entire [Defense Intelligence Enterprise] to mobilize every authorized asset, capability, and partnership under your command to defend our election infrastructure from foreign malign influence.”— Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Sept. 22 memorandum

The directive instructs defense intelligence agencies to collect and analyze intelligence on foreign election threats while ordering U.S. Cyber Command to use its existing authorities and capabilities, working alongside the Department of Homeland Security, to counter potential foreign cyberattacks.

Who does what?

The Pentagon effort is focused on foreign actors rather than domestic election administration, with the memo requiring operations to remain within existing laws, regulations and authorities.

The directive comes ahead of the Nov. 3 midterm elections and follows the release of a separate election-security plan by the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency outlining cyber and physical threats facing state and local election systems.

Countdown to Election Day

Timeline

• Sept. 22Hegseth signs the election-security memorandum.
• Monday, Sept. 28The memo is released publicly.
• Ahead of Nov. 3Defense intelligence and Cyber Command operations proceed alongside DHS and the CISA plan.
• Nov. 32026 midterm elections.