The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff told Senator Elissa Slotkin in writing that he has “neither received nor anticipate receiving any unlawful order” concerning the military’s role in November’s midterm elections.
Gen. Dan Caine’s letter, obtained by the Associated Press, says the Joint Force won’t deploy federal troops or federalized National Guard members at polling sites, and won’t use personnel to confiscate ballots, voting machines, or other election materials.
Election administration, he wrote, remains “the fundamental responsibility of state and local officials,” and he said he remained “ready to discuss this matter further” with Slotkin or other senators.
Slotkin sent parallel letters to both Caine and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, asking each to commit in writing that they wouldn’t send troops to the polls. Hegseth has not responded. Her office noted that predecessor defense officials, including Gen. Mark Milley, Gen. CQ Brown, and Secretary Lloyd Austin, provided similar written assurances when she previously asked the same question.
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Slotkin has said she suspects Trump is preparing to contest the outcome if the results don’t go his way, citing his consideration of seizing voting machines after his 2020 loss, sending the National Guard into cities despite Democratic leaders’ objections, and deploying active-duty Marines to Los Angeles during last year’s immigration crackdown.
Federal law bars deploying armed federal forces to election sites except to “repel armed enemies of the United States.” Any military involvement would most likely run through the National Guard under state, not federal, control.
