With the Trump Administration still refusing to rule out the deployment of National Guard troops to polling places for the Nov. 3 mid-term elections, “Secretary of War” Pete Hegseth has directed the deployment of Pentagon resources to “ensure” cybersecurity of election systems. “Under the Secretary’s directive, U.S. Cyber Command and Combat Support Agencies will prioritize and deploy advanced intelligence and cyber capabilities to identify, disrupt, and neutralize foreign interference in U.S. democratic processes,” reported a Sept. 28 Pentagon statement.

“Free and fair elections are the foundation of our republic,” said Chief Pentagon Spokesman Sean Parnell. “By working in lockstep with federal, state, and local partners, U.S. Cyber Command and our defense intelligence teams will defend the integrity of America’s voting systems, expose foreign malign influence, and ensure our democratic processes remain secure from external manipulation while protecting the fundamental freedoms of the American people.”