Pentagon says DC Guard deployment will cost $1.4 billion

The extended deployment of National Guard troops in Washington, D.C., through the end of President Donald Trump's term is projected to cost an additional $1.4 billion, according to a Pentagon estimate provided to Congress. The estimate, covering the period from October 2026 through January 20, 2029, brings the total projected cost of the mission, which began in August 2025, to well over $2 billion.

The new cost projection was detailed in a written response to Senator Elizabeth Warren, a Democrat from Massachusetts, from Jules Jay W. Hurst III, the nominee for Pentagon comptroller. The funds are primarily allocated for pay, travel allowances, lodging, and meals for the troops. The estimate assumes a steady-state deployment of approximately 2,500 personnel, a reduction from the recent surge to 4,600 soldiers present for the summer's 250th anniversary Independence Day celebrations.

The deployment, initiated by an emergency order from President Trump in August 2025, was originally framed as a measure to combat crime under the "D.C. Safe and Beautiful Task Force." While officials have stated that troops have assisted law enforcement hundreds of times and responded to medical...