Pete Hegseth is rallying the troops to get out the vote as the midterms inch closer.
The Defense secretary, 46, urged service members and eligible family members to register to vote after studies of the 2024 election found that 300,000 military personnel were unregistered.
“That’s more than the ballots cast in cities like Detroit, Boston, Milwaukee, or Seattle,” he said in a two-minute video posted to social media.
“As you know, the war department exists to protect our nation and her freedoms. That includes the freedom to decide who leads us and the right to vote,” he continued. “It’s why General George Washington crossed the Delaware River 250 years ago: For our right to determine our own American destiny.”
Hegseth said service members can use a standardized federal postcard to register and request a ballot regardless of their home state or current duty status. For those deployed, he recommended the federal write-in absentee ballot.
The self-anointed “secretary of war” also addressed commanders in the clip.
“Commanders, get out the vote. You’re not telling them who to vote for, you’re just telling them to vote,” he said, before pivoting to a throwback to his time in the military.
“Make sure our voting assistance officers—that was actually once my job for my first platoon, 2nd and 113th infantry down at Guantanamo Bay. I was the voting assistance officer and I proudly got everyone in my platoon and the company registered to vote,” he said. “So our voting assistance officers, get out there and register your war fighters. Every warrior deserves an opportunity to cast his or her ballot and be confident that it will be counted.”
According to the Federal Voting Assistance Program, the percentage of active-duty military members registered to vote dropped to 67 percent in 2024 from 70 percent in 2020. An analysis also found that 60 percent of military members who did not vote in 2024 said it was because of a lack of motivation.
A Rasmussen Reports survey conducted from February to March found that President Donald Trump enjoyed 60 percent approval among military voters. In stark contrast, Trump’s net approval rating has plummeted to a record-low 32 percent among all registered voters.
Most military voters—57 percent—said they would vote for a Republican candidate in an election for Congress, while 35 percent would vote for a Democrat and 8 percent were undecided or would vote third-party.
Mark Lucas, founder and president of Veteran Action, previously said the four-point gap between support for Trump and GOP candidates could make a difference in the November midterm elections.
“Veterans were critical to Republican victories in 2024, but that loyalty cannot be taken for granted,” he said in March. “The data is clear: Veterans expect Congress to deliver on healthcare access, mental health, and election integrity. Candidates who lead on these issues will earn veteran support. Those who don’t risk losing it—and with it, their seats.”
