What Happened
Defense Department Enters Federal Effort to Protect Election Systems
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has directed the Pentagon to combat foreign interference in U.S. elections, as part of a broader federal effort to protect election systems and public confidence. The directive focuses on foreign meddling, but the available details do not identify the countries, agencies, or operations covered by the order. The Pentagon’s role could involve intelligence collection, cyber defense, technical support, or military operations, and will require clear lines of responsibility and coordination with other federal agencies. This development was first reported by Axios.