By FATIMA HUSSEIN
The deployment of federal troops to six U.S. cities by the Trump administration has cost taxpayers approximately $496 million through December. According to new data from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, the continued deployment could exceed $1 billion for the remainder of the year.
President Donald Trump has defended sending National Guard troops to U.S. cities as a move to combat crime and support local law enforcement. However, critics argue that these deployments undermine state and local authority and may exceed the president’s constitutional powers.
The CBO released the cost estimates of the federal troop deployments after a request from Sen. Jeff Merkley, revealing the significant expenses incurred on these deployments.
These estimates include troop deployments to cities like Chicago, Memphis, Portland, and Los Angeles. The ongoing deployments in these cities could cost around $93 million per month. The estimate does not account for the military’s deployment to New Orleans in December.
Looking ahead, the CBO estimates that deploying 1,000 National Guard personnel to a U.S. city in 2026 could cost between $18 million to $21 million per month, depending on the local cost of living.
National Guard troops are expected to remain deployed in Washington throughout 2026, based on a memo reviewed by The Associated Press earlier this month.
The troop deployments have faced legal challenges from local leaders, with some successful outcomes. A California federal judge recently ruled that the Trump administration violated federal law by sending National Guard units to the Los Angeles area.
The White House did not immediately comment on the cost estimates provided by the CBO.
