Senator urges Defense chief to pledge no military involvement in November elections

Michigan Senator Elissa Slotkin sent letters to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Joint Chiefs Chairman Dan Caine seeking an explicit assurance that no federal troops will be sent to polling stations or used to seize voting equipment in the November midterm elections. She cited concerns that President Donald Trump is laying groundwork to claim the elections were stolen, referencing his past considerations of using the military after the 2020 loss and his deployment of the National Guard and Marines in prior incidents.

Hegseth previously dismissed a similar query as a “gotcha hypothetical” and affirmed he has never received an illegal order. The Pentagon indicated it will respond directly to Slotkin, while the Joint Chiefs have not provided comment. Legal restrictions allow armed federal forces at election sites only to repel armed enemies, meaning any military involvement would likely fall to state-controlled National Guard units. The request underscores longstanding worries about maintaining an apolitical military during contested elections.