Axios: Hegseth ordered to protect US elections from foreign interference

Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth instructed his subordinates to use “advanced intelligence and cyber capabilities to detect, disrupt and neutralize foreign interference” in the upcoming US midterm elections. This is reported by Axios with reference to its directive.

Mr. Hegseth has directed U.S. Cyber Command and military intelligence to monitor external threats and conduct joint operations with the Department of Homeland Security. In this work, the Pentagon also plans to use AI technologies, the interlocutors of the publication said.

Under U.S. law, using armed forces to interfere with voting is a criminal offense. Democratic Sen. Elissa Slotkin previously sent letters to Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Kaine demanding that the U.S. military not be involved in the November election.

The reason for the appeal of the Senator were the statements of President Donald trump, who did not rule out sending to the polling stations of military personnel or employees of the Immigration and customs service (ICE), and also expressed regret that did not involve the army after the 2020 elections.

Mr Hegseth's order does not send military personnel to polling stations, Axios notes. In addition, the order repeats a similar document published before the 2022 midterm elections, held under former President Joe Biden.