Slotkin asks Pentagon to rule out troops at US midterm polling places
Michigan senator cites Trump’s past use of military in domestic disputes as she seeks written assurance
AI-assisted coverage comparison, editor-supervised · How this was made

Slotkin asks Pentagon to rule out troops at US midterm polling places
Photograph: Washington Top News (embedded from source)
What this story says
- Michigan Sen. Elissa Slotkin asked the Pentagon on 18 August 2026 to confirm in writing that it will not deploy federal troops to polling places during the November midterm elections.
- Slotkin cited Trump’s past use of the military in domestic disputes, including the deployment of Marines to Los Angeles in 2025 and the National Guard to cities against Democratic leaders’ wishes.
- Federal law prohibits armed federal forces at election locations unless they are repelling armed enemies of the United States.
- No right-rated outlet carried the story, according to the 18 reports printed below.
Who covered it
Percentages are shares of the 30 outlets carrying a published leaning rating. 4 of the 34 outlets we know ran this story carry no rating and are not counted in them. Coverage measured .
Trust
85/100
Craft
85/100
Hype
15/100
34 sources · methodology
Missing from the right
Only 2 of the 30 outlets with a published leaning rating that ran this story are rated right.
A reader who follows the right would not have seen this. We report the absence rather than explain it: outlets choose what to cover for many reasons, and we have no evidence about which one applies here.
Michigan Sen. Elissa Slotkin wrote to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine on 18 August 2026. She asked them to confirm that the Department of Defense will not send federal troops to polling places or seize election materials during the November midterm elections.
Slotkin’s letter followed concerns raised by Democrats that the Trump administration could use the military to interfere with the vote. The Pentagon said in an email that it would respond directly to Slotkin, as it does with all congressional correspondence. The Joint Chiefs did not immediately comment.
Federal law bars the deployment of armed federal forces to election locations unless necessary to repel armed enemies of the United States. If military involvement were required, it would likely be the National Guard, which operates under state control.
Slotkin told the Associated Press that Trump has been laying the groundwork to claim the midterms were stolen. She pointed to his consideration of using the military to seize voting machines after the 2020 election and his deployment of the National Guard to cities against the wishes of Democratic leaders. In 2025, Trump sent active-duty Marines to Los Angeles during an immigration crackdown.
What the coverage left out
None of the 18 reports printed below were published by a right-rated outlet. The omission is a finding: no right-rated outlet carried the story at all.
Coverage settled. We checked this 11 times and stopped on 24 Aug 2026, 03:00. The figures above are what it finished at.
How each side covered it
Our own reading of the reporting listed below, written from the outlets’ articles rather than quoted from them. The reasoning is set out on our methodology page.
Left
10 rated outlets
- The five left-rated digests and two full reports led on Slotkin’s letter and the concerns raised by Democrats about Trump’s past use of the military in domestic disputes. The Associated Press and Washington Top News, whose full reports were printed below, quoted Slotkin’s statement that Trump is "laying the breadcrumbs to be able to say the day after the election that he didn’t really lose the House or he didn’t really lose the Senate."
- The left-rated reports included White House chief of staff Susie Wiles’s denial in a Vanity Fair interview that Trump would use the military to suppress voting in the midterms. Wiles said, "I say it is categorically false, will not happen. It’s just wrongheaded." The reports also carried Slotkin’s April exchange with Hegseth, in which he called her question about seizing ballots a "gotcha hypothetical."
Centre
18 rated outlets
- The 12 centre-rated digests and one full report led on Slotkin’s request for written confirmation from the Pentagon. Most digests noted that federal law prohibits the deployment of armed federal forces to election locations. Several digests mentioned concerns about the Trump administration’s potential use of the military, though none quoted Slotkin’s statement about Trump "laying the breadcrumbs."
- Washington Top News, whose full report was printed below, included Slotkin’s reference to Trump’s past deployments of the military, including the National Guard to cities against Democratic leaders’ wishes and active-duty Marines to Los Angeles in 2025. The report also quoted Gen. Mark Milley’s 2020 response to a similar letter from Slotkin, in which he wrote, "I believe deeply in the principle of an apolitical U.S. military."
Right
2 rated outlets
- The right-rated coverage led on Michigan Senator Elissa Slotkin’s request to the Pentagon to rule out deploying active-duty troops to polling places during the November midterm elections. Both digests reported the letter was sent on Tuesday to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Dan Caine.
- The Washington Times and Tampa Free Press digests stated Slotkin sought a guarantee that troops would not be used to interfere with voting or confiscate ballots. Neither digest mentioned any prior indication the Pentagon planned such deployments or cited specific concerns from Democrats beyond general election interference fears.
- Neither digest included responses from the Pentagon, Hegseth, or Caine. The Tampa Free Press digest noted Slotkin’s letters were addressed to both officials, while the Washington Times digest referred only to Hegseth.
Questions about this coverage
- How did the left and right cover Slotkin asks Pentagon to rule out troops at US midterm polling places?
- Of the 30 outlets on this story carrying a published leaning rating, 33% are rated left, 60% are rated centre, 7% are rated right. Those percentages are shares of the rated outlets, not of every outlet that ran it, which was 34. The sections above set out what each side emphasised, in its own terms.
- Is Slotkin asks Pentagon to rule out troops at US midterm polling places left or right?
- Neither side dominates it. Of the 30 rated outlets on this story, 33% are rated left, 60% are rated centre, 7% are rated right, and no side holds the 70% this site would want before calling a field one-sided. A story is not left or right in any case; the outlets that carried it are what carry ratings.
- Is the coverage of Slotkin asks Pentagon to rule out troops at US midterm polling places biased?
- Slotkin asks Pentagon to rule out troops at US midterm polling places is one event reported by 34 outlets, and this page does not rate the story as biased or unbiased. What it publishes is the spread: which outlets ran it, where named rating organisations place each of them on the spectrum, and what each side chose to lead with. A leaning rating describes an outlet's record over time, not this article, and the two should not be run together.
- Which side is not reporting Slotkin asks Pentagon to rule out troops at US midterm polling places?
- When we first saw this story, outlets rated right had barely covered it. Coverage accretes for hours after an event, so that is where to look rather than a verdict — the split above is the current count, and it is the one to read.
- Which outlets covered Slotkin asks Pentagon to rule out troops at US midterm polling places?
- 34 that we know of, every one of them listed further up this page with a link to its own report and to what we hold on the publisher. Nothing here is a summary of somebody else's summary: the outlets are named so the original reporting can be read.
- What did Sen. Slotkin ask the Pentagon to confirm?
- Slotkin asked Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine to confirm in writing that the Department of Defense will not send federal troops to polling places or seize election materials during the November midterm elections. The request followed concerns about potential military interference in the vote.
- Why did Slotkin cite Trump’s past actions in her letter?
- Slotkin pointed to Trump’s consideration of using the military to seize voting machines after the 2020 election, his deployment of the National Guard to cities against Democratic leaders’ wishes, and his use of active-duty Marines in Los Angeles during an immigration crackdown in 2025. She said these actions laid the groundwork for claims that the midterms could be stolen.
- What does federal law say about military deployment at elections?
- Federal law prohibits the deployment of armed federal forces to election locations unless necessary to repel armed enemies of the United States. If military involvement were required, it would likely be the National Guard, which operates under state control rather than federal command.
- Which outlets carried the story and which did not?
- The story was carried by five left-rated outlets and 12 centre-rated outlets, according to the 18 reports printed below. No right-rated outlet published a report on Slotkin’s letter or the Pentagon’s response.
Read it at the source
34 outlets, grouped by the leaning a published rating gives them. Every headline links to the original; an underlined outlet name opens our profile of that publisher.
Left
10- Slotkin Asks Hegseth to Confirm He Won’t Send Troops to Polls (opens Talking Points Memo in a new tab)
Talking Points Memo — is Talking Points Memo biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Slotkin presses Trump administration for commitment to keep military out of midterm elections (opens Michigan Public in a new tab)
Michigan Public — is Michigan Public biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Sen. Slotkin presses Hegseth, Caine to commit to keeping U.S. military out of the midterm elections (opens PBS NewsHour in a new tab)
PBS NewsHour — is PBS NewsHour biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Senator presses Hegseth, Caine for commitment to keep US military out of the midterm elections (opens The Seattle Times in a new tab)
The Seattle Times — is The Seattle Times biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Senator presses Hegseth, Caine for commitment to keep US military out of the midterm elections (opens The Toronto Star in a new tab)
The Toronto Star — is The Toronto Star biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Senator presses Hegseth, Caine for commitment to keep US military out of the midterm elections (opens The Daily News of Newburyport in a new tab)
The Daily News of Newburyport — is The Daily News of Newburyport biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Senator presses Hegseth, Caine for commitment to keep US military out of the midterm elections (opens ABC News in a new tab)
- Senator presses Hegseth, Caine for commitment to keep US military out of the midterm elections (opens Associated Press News in a new tab)
Associated Press News — is Associated Press News biased? Our profile of this outlet
Show 2 more
- Senator presses Hegseth, Caine for commitment to keep US military out of the midterm elections (opens NiagaraFallsReview.ca in a new tab)
NiagaraFallsReview.ca — is NiagaraFallsReview.ca biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Senator presses Hegseth, Caine for commitment to keep US military out of the midterm elections (opens The Record in a new tab)
The Record — is The Record biased? Our profile of this outlet
Centre
18- Slotkin asks Hegseth, Caine to confirm troops won’t be sent to polling places (opens Attack of the Fanboy in a new tab)
Attack of the Fanboy — is Attack of the Fanboy biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Sen. Slotkin urges defense leaders to bar troops from 2026 midterm polling sites (opens Michigan Live in a new tab)
Michigan Live — is Michigan Live biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Senator presses Hegseth, Caine for commitment to keep US military out of the midterm elections (opens Gephardt Daily in a new tab)
Gephardt Daily — is Gephardt Daily biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Slotkin asks Hegseth, Caine to confirm no troops at polling places (opens UPI in a new tab)
- Senator presses Hegseth, Caine for commitment (opens TimesDaily in a new tab)
TimesDaily — is TimesDaily biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Slotkin presses Hegseth, Caine to keep U.S. military out of the midterm elections (opens CBS News in a new tab)
- Senator presses Hegseth, Caine for commitment to keep U.S. military out of the midterm elections (opens Pittsburgh Post-Gazette in a new tab)
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette — is Pittsburgh Post-Gazette biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Senator presses Hegseth, Caine for commitment to keep US military out of the midterm elections (opens My Mother Lode in a new tab)
My Mother Lode — is My Mother Lode biased? Our profile of this outlet
Show 10 more
- Senator presses Hegseth, Caine for commitment to keep US military out of the midterm elections (opens The Record in a new tab)
The Record
- Senator presses Hegseth, Caine for commitment to keep US military out of the midterm elections (opens Washington Top News in a new tab)
Washington Top News — is Washington Top News biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Senator presses Hegseth, Caine for commitment to keep US military out of the midterm elections (opens The Daily Advance in a new tab)
The Daily Advance — is The Daily Advance biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Senator presses Hegseth, Caine for commitment to keep US military out of the midterm elections (opens Bozeman Daily Chronicle in a new tab)
Bozeman Daily Chronicle — is Bozeman Daily Chronicle biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Senator presses Hegseth, Caine for commitment to keep US military out of the midterm elections (opens The Northern Virginia Daily in a new tab)
The Northern Virginia Daily — is The Northern Virginia Daily biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Senator presses Hegseth, Caine for commitment to keep US military out of the midterm elections (opens Ottumwa Courier in a new tab)
Ottumwa Courier — is Ottumwa Courier biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Senator presses Hegseth, Caine for commitment to keep US military out of the midterm elections (opens News 4 JAX in a new tab)
News 4 JAX — is News 4 JAX biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Sen. Slotkin presses Hegseth, Caine for (opens Spectrum News in a new tab)
Spectrum News — is Spectrum News biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Senator Wants to Keep Military Out of Midterms (opens Political Wire in a new tab)
Political Wire — is Political Wire biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Senator presses Hegseth, Caine for commitment to keep US military out of the midterm elections (opens Winnipeg Free Press in a new tab)
Winnipeg Free Press — is Winnipeg Free Press biased? Our profile of this outlet
Right
2- Michigan Sen. Slotkin Demands Pentagon Pledge Not Deploy Troops To Polls For Midterms - Tampa Free Press (opens The Free Press (Tampa) in a new tab)
The Free Press (Tampa) — is The Free Press (Tampa) biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Senator presses Hegseth, Caine for commitment to keep U.S. military out of the midterm elections (opens Washington Times in a new tab)
Washington Times — is Washington Times biased? Our profile of this outlet
Not rated
4- Senator Slotkin Asks to Keep the Army Out of the 2026 Elections (opens ▷ Miami News 24 in a new tab)
▷ Miami News 24 — is ▷ Miami News 24 biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Slotkin presses Hegseth keep army of midterm elections 2026 (opens Saaz o Awaz in a new tab)
Saaz o Awaz — is Saaz o Awaz biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Senator Presses Hegseth and Caine to Keep the Army Out of Elections (opens Independent Español in a new tab)
Independent Español — is Independent Español biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Senator presses Hegseth, Caine for commitment to keep US military out of the midterm elections (opens KXL in a new tab)
How did this read?
About the coverage, not about the story. We do not ask whether you agree with what happened — we have no honest use for that answer.
More in Politics
All Politics →
2 min readTrump says he won’t rule out emergency or Insurrection Act before midtermsRead story
3 min readFBI releases classified 'Patel Report' on past failuresRead story