Hegseth orders Cyber Command and defense intelligence agencies to disrupt foreign interference in the midterms

2026 midterms

Political Guyentist · September 29, 20261 min read

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth signed the memo on Sept. 22; it copies a 2022 Biden-era effort and sends no troops to polling places, though Trump has refused to rule that out.

The memo's three directivesPrioritize cyber and intelligence capabilities to "identify, disrupt, and neutralize foreign interference."3 details

Prioritize cyber and intelligence capabilities to "identify, disrupt, and neutralize foreign interference."
Collect intelligence on foreign threats to the midterms.
Run joint operations between Cyber Command and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

What we’re less sure of3 of 8 claims

Medium
The memo copies a 2022 Biden-era effort.
Axios's source notes cite 2022 Biden tasking language, and Cyber Command's Aug. 2022 article documents the earlier Election Security Group effort. 'Copies' is the desk's characterization, and no other listed source makes the direct comparison.
Medium
Trump has refused to rule out sending troops to polling places.
The Brennan Center (July 28, 2026) collects 2026 Trump quotes, and NBC News (Aug. 31, 2026) covers the troops-at-polls debate. The story gives no quote or speaker for the refusal.
Medium
The memo directs joint operations between Cyber Command and DHS.
The story assigns this to the memo. The memo text and source notes describe DHS coordination, and Nextgov says CYBERCOM is to use existing authorities. 'Joint operations' may overstate coordination language.