Hegseth orders 'whole-of-government defense' to maintain election integrity against foreign threats

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth on Monday signed a memorandum directing the Department of War to mobilize a "whole-of-government" to defend elections against threats from foreign adversaries. 

The order directs U.S. Cyber Command and combat support agencies to prioritize and deploy efforts to identify, disrupt and neutralize foreign interference in elections. 

"By working in lockstep with federal, state, and local partners, U.S. Cyber Command and our defense intelligence teams will defend the integrity of America's voting systems, expose foreign malign influence, and ensure our democratic processes remain secure from external manipulation while protecting the fundamental freedoms of the American people," Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said in a statement. 

The effort will uphold the reliability of America's voting mechanisms against "external manipulation and disruption from foreign actors, while maintaining the fundamental freedoms that characterize our country," according to the announcement.