Hegseth directs DoD cyber ops to counter foreign election meddling
Defense Secretary Hegseth has ordered personnel to use advanced intelligence and cyber capabilities, including AI, to identify and disrupt foreign interference in U.S. elections. The order stops short of deploying troops to polls, but Trump's refusal to rule that out escalates political tension. This marks a notable expansion of DoD's domestic role in election security, a first under this administration.
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United States — 176 developments
DoD Expands Cyber Operations for US Election Defense Amid Agency Reorganization
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.