WASHINGTON (AP) — The National Guard’s deployment in Washington, D.C., has been extended until January 2029 at a projected cost of approximately $1.4 billion, based on a Defense Department estimate submitted to Congress.
This estimate highlights the financial burden on taxpayers for a deployment that has drawn criticism from local authorities for infringing on the city’s autonomy, and from Democrats who argue it has caused the militarization of the city’s streets at public expense.
The estimated cost, covering fiscal years 2027-2029, was provided in response to inquiries from Massachusetts Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren and shared with The Associated Press.
This deployment originated last summer when President Donald Trump issued an emergency order to increase law enforcement presence in the city, a move the administration justified as a crime-fighting measure. Armed Guard troops have been involved in various tasks, including supporting arrest operations, snow removal, and beautification projects. Troop numbers surged to around 5,000 as the city commemorated the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.
According to the Defense Department, the cost projection is based on maintaining an average of 2,500 National Guard members in Washington through January 2029.
Sen. Warren expressed her concerns in an emailed statement, saying, “While American families are getting flattened by skyrocketing costs, Donald Trump is spending $1.4 billion to keep troops on the streets in Washington for years on end.” She added, “The National Guard are not pawns and taxpayer dollars are not a piggy bank for Trump’s political stunts.”
The cost was initially reported by The Washington Post.
Last month, the Pentagon stated the mission of the Guard will continue until Jan. 20, 2029, “or until terminated by the President.” Previously, the deployment was set to expire at the end of this year but was extended.
Despite legal restrictions elsewhere, National Guard members remain deployed in significant numbers in D.C., where the president serves as the direct commander of the D.C. Guard.
The future of state unit deployments remains uncertain. As of late July, there were 4,600 military personnel from D.C. and 23 other states and territories in the city, assisting with security and other activities during July 4th events.
Georgia had approximately 800 personnel in the city, surpassing the number of D.C. National Guard members. Maj. R. Dustin Cole of the Georgia Air National Guard noted in an email that this increase is temporary, though he did not specify when Georgia troops might be withdrawn.
Col. Joel Lynch of the Arkansas National Guard reported that about half of Arkansas’s 238 soldiers in D.C. will return at the end of this month, with 123 expected to return by late October.
Hawaii plans to bring back its 27 members later this month following the Freedom 250 Grand Prix. Louisiana will maintain around 150 Guard members in the city through January 2027.
City residents Don and Donna Powell, who divide their time between Washington and Texas, argue that the funds allocated to the National Guard could be redirected to essential needs.
“They’re everywhere. They’re just hiding wherever it’s shady,” remarked Donna Powell at a FreeDC protest on Monday, opposing the ongoing deployment. She suggested the funds “could be spent on healthcare and food for families that need it and instead we’re wasting our money.”
