In a recent directive, Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel ordered the Pentagon to intensify efforts against foreign interference in upcoming U.S. elections. The initiative aims to leverage the latest artificial intelligence technologies to safeguard the electoral process.
While the directive does not involve deploying military personnel at polling places, U.S. President Donald Trump has not ruled out this possibility, raising concerns among Democratic representatives and critics of the administration, according to Axios.
The memorandum, approved by Hagel on September 22, outlines three key directives:
- Prioritize the Pentagon’s intelligence and cyber capabilities to ensure foreign actors do not disrupt American democratic systems;
- Utilize military intelligence systems to gather and prepare information on foreign threats to U.S. elections;
- Counter potential cyber threats from foreign entities aimed at the elections through coordinated operations involving U.S. Cyber Command and the Department of Homeland Security.
Context
- This Pentagon memorandum is based on a 2025 executive order by Trump titled “Preserving and Protecting the Integrity of American Elections” and was developed in response to the President’s July speech accusing China of interfering in the 2020 elections, which Beijing denied.
- On September 18, the New York Times reported, citing American intelligence, that Russian intelligence services have begun spreading disinformation aimed at undermining American trust in the upcoming midterm elections scheduled for November.
