No plans for US troops to be deployed to polling places during midterm elections, top general says

The top US general, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine, stated that the military has no plans to deploy federal military personnel or National Guard troops to polling places during the upcoming November midterm elections. In a letter to Senator Elissa Slotkin, Caine affirmed that election administration and security are the responsibility of state and local officials. He also clarified that the military has no intention of seizing ballots or voting machines. Caine wrote, "I have neither received nor anticipate receiving any unlawful order concerning the role of the Joint Force in the upcoming November 2026 midterm elections." This communication came in response to concerns from Democrats, including Slotkin, about potential Trump administration interference, fueled by past comments from the former president regarding ensuring "honest elections." Federal law generally prohibits military deployment at polling places.