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.

he 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.”

  • HumanOnEarth@lemmy.ca
    91·
    2 days ago

    Ahhhh you’re one of those “the midterms are coming to save us” people.

    All I want for Christmas is a brain complacent and ignorant enough to feel that way. Even just for a few days.

        • cattywampas@lemmy.world
          59·
          2 days ago

          My point is that 99% of Lemmy users ain’t gonna do a thing except shitposting and maybe voting at most. Although most will just say things behind a screen like “wow that’s cute you think voting works” or “well I can’t say what my plans actually are because I’ll get banned” which is a very convenient copout.

          I bet dollars to donuts that almost nobody here is a poll worker, nobody is organizing, nobody is canvassing for their preferred candidate, knocking on doors, making phone calls, nothing. And certainly they’d be the last to get off the couch if and when shit popped off for real. Because when times get tough the ones who do the fighting are the ones who were hitting the streets before it got to that point.

          • HumanOnEarth@lemmy.ca
            7·
            2 days ago

            That’s a lot of presumptions to build an argument.

            I don’t think you’re wrong about the complacency, but if I’m not mistaken we’re not talking about the fact no one is engaging with the political process. We’re talking about the political process being either a facade or just irrelevant.

            If the election is free and fair:

            Republicans win overall = MAGA in control Democrats win overall = MAGA claims fraud, ignores results

            If the election is screwed with, which obviously it is:

            Republicans win overall = MAGA in control Democrats win overall = lol

            Please, suggest what you think would happen if a Democrat landslide occurs in November? MAGA just accepts democracy and moves on? Lol.

            • cattywampas@lemmy.world
              15·
              2 days ago

              Democrat landslides have been happening the past two years. Look at the election results at all levels from school boards to state houses to Congress. If they were going to rig elections they would and should have done so already, because those races matter a lot even if they aren’t part of the midterms.

              I’m assuming you’re in Canada based on your instance, so let me tell you this: nobody who is a poll worker in the US has ever said that elections are rigged. I’d tell you to sign up today if you were in the US.