Senator Slotkin seeks military non-interference pledge for midterms

Michigan Senator Elissa Slotkin has formally requested written commitments from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and General Dan Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, regarding the role of the military in upcoming midterm elections. In letters sent Tuesday, Slotkin asked for confirmation that the Department of Defense will not deploy federal troops to polling locations or attempt to seize election materials.

The request comes amid concerns from Democrats regarding potential military interference in the electoral process. Slotkin cited previous actions, including the deployment of the National Guard to cities and active-duty Marines to Los Angeles during immigration enforcement, as context for her concerns.

Defense Secretary Hegseth previously addressed similar inquiries by stating he would not follow orders to perform illegal acts, though he characterized specific scenarios as “gotcha hypotheticals.” White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles has also denied claims that the administration would use the military to suppress voting, calling such suggestions “categorically false.” Federal law generally prohibits the deployment of armed federal forces to election sites unless necessary to repel armed enemies of the United States.