In a written reply to a request from Senator Elissa Slotkin, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs said the U.S. military does not intend to place federal military personnel or National Guard troops at polling locations during this year’s midterm elections and has no plan to confiscate ballots, voting machines or other election-related materials.
The letter from General Dan Caine was provided in response to questions from the Michigan Democrat seeking assurances from senior military leadership, including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, that there would be no interference with the November vote.
"I have neither received nor anticipate receiving any unlawful order concerning the role of the Joint Force in the upcoming November 2026 midterm elections," Caine wrote.
The correspondence was received on August 28, according to an official.
Millions of Americans are expected to cast ballots on November 3 in congressional, gubernatorial and local contests. The chairman’s letter reiterates a longstanding division of responsibility: election administration and the protection of polling places fall primarily to state and local officials rather than the federal military.
The exchange follows public concern among Democrats, including Senator Slotkin, that the Trump administration might deploy troops or other armed federal personnel near voting locations. Those concerns intensified after comments made in May by former President Trump, when he was asked whether he would send National Guard troops or Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to polling sites. He replied he would "do anything necessary to make sure we have honest elections."
Federal law generally prohibits the deployment of U.S. troops at polling places or their use in overseeing elections, reflecting long-standing restrictions on military involvement in the electoral process. The chairman’s written assurance reinforced that no deployment or seizure of election materials is planned.
The response from General Caine affirms that, as of the date of the letter, senior military leaders are not preparing to execute operations at polling locations and do not expect to receive orders to take unlawful actions related to the midterm elections.