Top US general rules out troops at polling places in 2026 midterms
What's new: Gen. Dan Caine also wrote that the military has no plans to seize ballots or voting machines before the Nov. 3 vote.
The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff told a Democratic senator that the U.S. military does not plan to send federal troops or federalized National Guard members to polling places during the November 2026 midterm elections. In a letter to Sen. Elissa Slotkin of Michigan, Gen. Dan Caine wrote that the Joint Force also has no plans to seize ballots, voting machines or other election material, and that he has not received and does not expect an unlawful order tied to the vote. The letter comes as Democrats voice fears that President Donald Trump could try to involve federal forces in election operations. Millions of Americans are set to vote on Nov. 3 in congressional, gubernatorial and local races.