General Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, provided written assurance to Democratic Senator Elissa Slotkin of Michigan that the U.S. military will not deploy personnel to polling locations during the midterm elections on November 3. In his letter obtained by the Associated Press, Caine stated that the Joint Force has no plans to send federal military personnel or federalized National Guard members to voting sites, nor does it intend to seize ballots, voting machines, or other election-related materials.
Slotkin had recently requested confirmation from Caine and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth regarding military non-involvement in the elections. Caine added that he has neither received nor expects to receive any unlawful orders related to the military’s role in the upcoming midterm elections. The senator’s inquiry reflects growing concerns among Democratic lawmakers about potential election interference by the Trump administration.
Democratic concerns stem partly from the administration’s deployment of federal agents in Democratic-led states earlier in the year, which officials justified as necessary for immigration enforcement and public safety. Slotkin has previously noted the president’s historical interest in using military resources during elections, referencing past discussions about seizing voting machines and deployment of National Guard units to cities controlled by Democratic leadership.
Federal law restricts the deployment of armed federal forces to election locations except when deemed necessary to repel armed enemies of the United States. Any military involvement in elections would likely fall under state-controlled National Guard operations. Slotkin emphasized the importance of maintaining the military’s nonpartisan tradition and constitutional separation from domestic political activities. The White House chief of staff previously denied plans to use the military to suppress voting in the midterms.
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