NSA to lead US election cyber defense after agency dismantling draws criticism

Defense Secretary Hegseth has directed the DoD, including NSA-led military cyber forces, to utilize advanced cyber capabilities and AI to identify and disrupt foreign interference in US elections. This marks a significant expansion of the DoD's domestic role in election security, despite prior administration actions to dismantle or reorganize offices tracking foreign influence and reduce civilian election security support. The scope and implementation of this directive, particularly regarding coordination and effectiveness given previous reductions, remain unclear.