Hegseth Orders Broader Pentagon Focus on Foreign Election Threats

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth directed the Pentagon’s intelligence agencies in September to make foreign threats to the 2026 midterm elections a priority, according to the source report. The order describes election security as a “no-fail mission” and asks the Defense Intelligence Enterprise to use authorized capabilities and partnerships against overseas threats.

The directive applies beyond the National Security Agency and U.S. Cyber Command. It also addresses the Defense Intelligence Agency and National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, calling for intelligence collection and analysis on foreign election threats. Cyber Command is directed to use its existing authorities in coordination with the Department of Homeland Security to counter potential foreign cyber activity.

The Pentagon has not explained publicly how the directive is being carried out or whether it has led to added personnel, funding or organizational changes. The Department of War did not provide further details to Fox News Digital, and Cyber Command declined an interview request. The source report says the order does not publicly establish new legal authorities or create a new election-security organization.

The military’s role is focused on activity originating outside the United States. Its intelligence agencies can identify foreign hackers or influence operations, share warnings with civilian agencies and, when authorized, conduct operations against foreign actors or infrastructure. State and local officials administer elections, while civilian federal agencies, including the FBI and DHS, handle domestic election-security responsibilities.

The Pentagon’s involvement predates the new order. Ahead of the 2018 midterm elections, Cyber Command and the NSA formed a group focused on Russian interference. That effort later became a joint Election Security Group, combining intelligence collection with Cyber Command’s capacity to act against foreign cyber threats. The agencies also formed such a group for the 2024 presidential election. Whether it was reassembled for the 2026 midterms was unclear in the account.

In April, Gen. Joshua Rudd, who leads Cyber Command and the NSA, told lawmakers that foreign interference was reasonable to expect given past activity. He said his command was prepared to support election-security efforts if tasked, while saying he did not know whether the Election Security Group had reconvened. Five months later, Hegseth issued the department-wide directive.

The approach echoes language used by Rudd’s predecessor, Gen. Paul Nakasone. After the 2022 election, Nakasone called election security an enduring “no-fail mission” and described the military’s work as understanding foreign adversaries and operating outside the country. He said operations had been underway before and during Election Day.

The source report says U.S. intelligence officials had found no evidence that a foreign adversary had tried to interfere with voting machines, physical election infrastructure or vote counting ahead of the midterms. Rep. Jim Himes, a Connecticut Democrat and the House Intelligence Committee’s ranking member, said officials had seen nothing that contradicted that assessment. He nevertheless urged Americans to remain alert to foreign disinformation, which artificial intelligence can make easier to distribute.

Officials continue to monitor influence activity attributed to Russia, China and Iran. The report, citing CNN, describes Russia as the most active foreign influence threat. It also says lawmakers briefed on classified intelligence the previous month reported Russian disinformation aimed at candidates and confidence in the election, while Chinese efforts were more narrowly directed at candidates considered hostile to Beijing.

Foreign influence campaigns can seek to affect public opinion or weaken confidence in election results without compromising voting equipment. Hegseth’s order places that overseas mission across a broader range of Pentagon intelligence agencies, but the available account does not establish what practical changes, if any, occurred before Election Day.