Kathmandu— The chairman of the United States Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Dan Caine, has confirmed in a letter obtained by The Associated Press that there are no plans to deploy military personnel or National Guard members to polling places for the 2026 midterm elections on November 3. This assurance comes amid concerns from Democrats that President Donald Trump's administration could use the military to interfere with election processes.

General Caine's Assurance

In his letter, General Dan Caine assured Democratic Senator Elissa Slotkin of Michigan that there are no plans for federal military personnel or federalized members of the National Guard to be sent to polling places during the 2026 elections. He also stated that there are no intentions to use such personnel to seize ballots, voting machines, or other election-related materials.

Democratic Concerns

Anxiety among Democrats has grown over potential military interference in the midterm elections due to President Trump's past actions. Slotkin noted that Trump had considered using the military to seize voting machines after his 2020 loss and deployed federal agents in Democratic-led states for immigration enforcement and crime control, despite local objections.

Legal Framework

Federal law prohibits the deployment of armed federal forces to election locations unless it is necessary to repel armed enemies of the United States. Any military involvement would likely be through state-controlled National Guard units. Slotkin emphasized that maintaining a nonpartisan tradition in military service and adhering to constitutional guardrails are essential for preserving democracy.

(With inputs from Al Jazeera)

Originally published on abcnews.com.np.