Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced on September 29 that the National Security Agency and military cyber intelligence forces will protect US election systems during November's midterm elections. The deployment aims to defend against cyberattacks on voting infrastructure.
Between September 25–27, 2026, reports described Defense Secretary Hegseth issuing guidance encouraging military service members to register and vote by mail in upcoming midterm elections, noting that unregistered service members would outnumber populations of multiple major U.S. cities.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth urged US service members and their families on 2026-09-25 to register and vote in the 2026 midterm elections, citing that approximately 300,000 troops had failed to register. His video appeal came as the Pentagon emphasizes civic participation.