Post #4647293 · Elektrine

@CorrectAlias@piefed.blahaj.zone

2026-08-31 22:00 UTC

US military has no plans to send troops to the polls in November, top general says The highest-ranking officer in the U.S. military says there are no plans to send troops to polling places during November’s midterm congressional elections, addressing concerns among Democrats that the Trump administration could use the military to interfere with the vote. Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, made the statement in a letter to Michigan Democratic Sen. Elissa Slotkin, who recently asked Caine and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to confirm they won’t send troops to the polls. “The Joint Force has no plans to send Federal military personnel or Federalized members of the National Guard to polling places during the 2026 elections,” Caine said in the letter to Slotkin, which was obtained Monday by The Associated Press. “Likewise, the Joint Force has no plans to use such personnel to seize ballots, voting machines, or other election-related material.” Caine, who advises Hegseth and President Donald Trump on military matters, also 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.” Anxiety among Democrats that the Trump administration could try to meddle in the midterm elections has grown, particularly after the president deployed federal agents in Democratic-led states over the objections of local leaders. Slotkin told the AP earlier in August that Trump has been laying the groundwork to claim the elections were stolen. She noted that Trump contemplated using the military to seize voting machines after his loss in 2020 and has deployed the National Guard to cities against the wishes of Democratic leaders. He also deployed active duty Marines to Los Angeles during his immigration crackdown in 2025.

Replies (8)

@mkwt@lemmy.world 2026-08-31 22:43

Do you all remember when they forced all one stars and above to attend a political rally at the Pentagon? And Trump and Hegseth would pause for the applause lines. And the generals just sat there at attention betraying no facial expressions whatsoever. Yeah. This military is not personally loyal to Trump. Edit: but do keep in mind that coups are usually led by middle-ranking officers, not general officers.

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@resipsaloquitur@lemmy.cafe 2026-09-01 04:46

sigh…

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@RememberTheApollo_@lemmy.world 2026-09-01 04:50

Yet

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@nullify3112@lemmy.world 2026-09-01 05:39

Who needs a military when you have a paramilitary called ICE?

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@Vreyan31@reddthat.com 2026-09-01 06:13

I’m not worried about NG or army at the polls. Those guys have better training than most cops, from institutions with stricter rules around civilian engagement. And the people recruited are a mixed bag politically - many of them just want to go to college or get trained in a trade. They won’t want to be there, or to bust heads, or to fuck over the Constitution. But that’s not who they’ll send. They’ll send ICE, who have over a year’s worth of experience terrorizing and abusing civilians, preferentially the most vulnerable ones least likely to fight back.

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@crystalmerchant@lemmy.world 2026-09-01 06:32

Yet

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@Microtonal_Banana@lemmy.zip 2026-09-01 13:23

It will most likely be stupid ICE agents.

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@minorkeys@sh.itjust.works 2026-09-02 04:59

That’s a complete non committal answer. No plans doesn’t mean plans won’t occur suddenly and without warning. “…any unlawful order…” is also highly suspicious I’m wording.

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