Pentagon orders 100% mobilization of spy agencies for midterms

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth has ordered the Department of War's entire intelligence apparatus to treat the protection of the 2026 midterm elections as a "no-fail mission." The directive, issued in September, commands all military and geospatial intelligence agencies to mobilize every authorized asset against foreign threats.

The order extends beyond the National Security Agency and U.S. Cyber Command. It specifically addresses the directors of the Defense Intelligence Agency and the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency. Hegseth instructed these entities to collect and analyze intelligence on foreign election threats while directing Cyber Command to counter potential foreign cyber activity in coordination with the Department of Homeland Security.

Gen. Joshua Rudd, the current head of Cyber Command and NSA, told lawmakers in April that foreign interference was "reasonable to expect based on what we've seen in the past." He stated that his command was "postured and ready to support as required or tasked." At that time, Rudd indicated uncertainty about whether the joint Election Security Group had been reconvened for this cycle.

The current structure follows a precedent set during the 2018 midterms. Agencies formed a "Russia Small Group" that later evolved into a joint Election Security Group. By 2022, then-Cyber Command and NSA chief Gen. Paul Nakasone described the effort as an "enduring, no-fail mission." Nakasone noted that operations continued through the day of the 2022 election, focusing on understanding foreign adversaries and operating outside the United States.

U.S. intelligence officials report that they have seen no evidence of foreign attempts to interfere with voting machines, physical election infrastructure, or the counting of votes ahead of Tuesday's midterms. Rep. Jim Himes, D-Conn., the ranking member of the House Intelligence Committee, confirmed last week that intelligence assessments remain consistent with this finding.

Himes urged Americans to remain "on high alert" for foreign disinformation. He cited the ease with which artificial intelligence facilitates such campaigns. Lawmakers briefed on classified intelligence in October noted that Russia was using disinformation to target candidates and undermine confidence in the election. China's efforts were described as more narrowly focused on candidates viewed as hostile to Beijing.

The Department of War declined to provide additional details on how the September order is being implemented. Cyber Command separately declined an interview request regarding its election-security efforts. The Pentagon has not disclosed whether the directive resulted in additional personnel, resources, or organizational changes.

The military's role largely stops at the U.S. border. State and local officials run elections, while agencies such as the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security handle the domestic side. The Pentagon's mission focuses on identifying foreign hackers or influence operations overseas and warning civilian agencies about threats headed toward U.S. targets.