US military to guard midterms after Trump gutted agency that protects elections

US military intelligence and cybersecurity agencies will help protect American election systems during the November midterm elections, defence secretary Pete Hegseth has said.The National Security Agency and other military cyber units have long assisted with monitoring election infrastructure and defending it against possible hacking attempts. Election systems were designated as “critical infrastructure” in 2017, paving the way for greater federal cybersecurity support.Hegseth's announcement comes weeks before Election Day on November 3, with early voting already underway.Military steps in as civilian capacity shrinksThe announcement follows major changes to the civilian agency responsible for protecting US election infrastructure.President Donald Trump has significantly reduced the role of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, or CISA, within the Department of Homeland Security.