Folks, I’m sipping my coffee and trying to wrap my head around this one. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has signed a memo telling the military to defend the US midterm elections from foreign interference. I mean, it’s about time, right? The Pentagon says US Cyber Command and other agencies will use their fancy cyber capabilities to identify, disrupt, and neutralize foreign interference in our democratic processes. Sounds like a solid plan, but I’m not sure what’s new about it. Isn’t this what they’re supposed to be doing anyway?
I’m reading through the news release, and it says the military will work with the Department of Homeland Security to counter foreign cyber threats to US election infrastructure. That’s all well and good, but I’m a little concerned that this is all happening just five weeks before the midterm elections. I guess it’s better late than never, but still. The memo directs Cyber Command to deploy advanced intelligence and cyber capabilities to defend our elections. I hope they’re ready for this, because it’s not like foreign actors are just going to give up and go home.
Apparently, the activities outlined in the memo are things that US military and spy agencies were already doing to protect American elections from foreign threats. So, what’s the big deal here? I’m not trying to be cynical, but it seems like they’re just rehashing old news. Weeks before the 2024 presidential election, Cyber Command hackers carried out a secret operation to disrupt Russian trolls spewing false information at US voters. I guess that’s a good thing, but I’m not sure how effective it was.
But here’s the thing: the second Trump administration has disbanded or downsized several government centers that were tasked with repelling foreign influence operations. Trump has also been known to dismiss or question past US intelligence about Russian and Chinese efforts to influence elections. That’s a bit concerning, don’t you think? I mean, I’m no expert, but it seems like we should be taking this stuff seriously. Current and former US national security officials are worried that the second Trump administration is not prioritizing defending US elections from foreign meddling. I can see why they’d be worried.
In April, the new head of Cyber Command and the National Security Agency, Gen. Joshua M. Rudd, told lawmakers that he didn’t know if a specialized military and intelligence team dedicated to thwarting foreign threats to elections had been stood up for the midterm elections. That’s not exactly reassuring, is it? I mean, shouldn’t they have a plan in place by now? The team, known as the Election Security Group (ESG), has been a hub for officials from the NSA and Cyber Command to share intelligence and launch counterattacks against trolls from Russia, Iran, and elsewhere who were trying to undermine US elections.
It’s not immediately clear what role, if any, the ESG will play in the new activity ordered by Hegseth. I hope they figure it out soon, because time is ticking. Cyber Command and the NSA “regularly counter actions by malicious foreign cyber actors, including those with the intent to interfere with our democratic process,” Rudd said in a statement on Monday. That’s nice to hear, but I’m still a bit skeptical. Andrew Schoka, who worked at Cyber Command in the 2020 election cycle, told CNN that he’s concerned about the timing of all this. “The ESG’s work takes months of planning and coordination, and a lot of their impact takes place far in advance of Election Day. If that’s just being started now, you’re really limiting the impact that you’re able to have on adversaries before the midterms.”
In conclusion, it seems like the US military is finally taking steps to defend our midterm elections from foreign interference. But, I have to ask, what took them so long? It’s like they’re just now realizing that this is a big deal. I guess I’ll just have to keep sipping my coffee and waiting to see how this all plays out. And who knows, maybe they’ll even get it right this time. Ha! Wouldn’t that be something?
Armchair patriot. Believes in the free market, cold beer, and that there’s always a guy named George behind every CNN segment.
Former remote-throwing champion turned #1 couch commentator on liberal panic in the media. Born in Texas (or so his mug says), he earned a degree in Fake Newsology & Beer Philosophy from YouTube University.
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