Fact Check: Did Hegseth say 300K US military members were not registered to vote in 2026 midterms?
WASHINGTON, DC: Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's claim about military members and voter registration has sparked discussion online ahead of the 2026 US midterm elections. Hegseth said that about 300,000 service members were not registered to vote, drawing attention to military participation in the upcoming elections. Let's fact-check the claim.
Claim: Pete Hegseth claims 300K US troops are not registered to vote in 2026 midterms
🚨🇺🇲 Hegseth said 300,000 U.S. military members are NOT even registered to vote...
— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) September 25, 2026
He’s advising deployed soldiers how to request a write-in absentee ballot and asking them to get others to cast their ballots as well.
“I’m urging all of our warfighters, their spouses, and…
Speculation over Pete Hegseth's claim began after an X user shared a video of the Defense Secretary along with a caption describing his alleged remarks.
The caption began, “Hegseth said 300,000 U.S. military members are NOT even registered to vote...” It also said, “He’s advising deployed soldiers how to request a write-in absentee ballot and asking them to get others to cast their ballots as well.”
The post included a quote attributed to Hegseth: “I’m urging all of our warfighters, their spouses, and eligible family members… Keep our nation the land of the free and the home of the brave.”
It ended by asking, “If you're a soldier and the outcome of an election could LITERALLY decide if you go to war or not, how are you not voting??”
The post sparked speculation among commenters about Hegseth's claim that 300K US troops were not registered to vote in the 2026 midterms, with some questioning the claim's accuracy. One commenter wrote, “No wants to vote.”
Another suggested, “Maybe they are illegatls?” An X user also commented, “Still losing midterms #stayinghome.”
Fact Check: The claim is misleading
The claims are misleading. Hegseth said about 300,000 “warriors” were not registered to vote in the 2024 election.
The 300,000 figure refers to the 2024 election, not the number of service members currently unregistered for the 2026 midterms.
He released a video on September 25, 2026, urging US service members and their families to register and vote in the upcoming 2026 midterm elections.
He directed US troops to the Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP) website for information about voter registration and absentee ballots. He also urged commanders and voting assistance officers to encourage service members to participate, saying, “You’re not telling them who to vote for. You’re just telling them to vote.”
He also encouraged deployed service members to use a Federal Post Card Application to register and request a ballot and the Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot if their regular ballot was delayed.
Hegseth did not tell service members to support a specific candidate or political party in the video. However, his decision to highlight the number of unregistered service members and compare it with ballots cast in several cities prompted different interpretations.
