{"id":28102,"date":"2026-08-05T04:23:22","date_gmt":"2026-08-04T23:23:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=28102"},"modified":"2026-08-05T04:23:22","modified_gmt":"2026-08-04T23:23:22","slug":"national-guard-deployment-in-dc-to-cost-1-4-billion-through-trumps-term","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=28102","title":{"rendered":"National Guard deployment in DC to cost $1.4 billion through Trump&#8217;s term"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><script>\r\n  atOptions = {\r\n    'key' : '644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6',\r\n    'format' : 'iframe',\r\n    'height' : 90,\r\n    'width' : 728,\r\n    'params' : {}\r\n  };\r\n<\/script>\r\n<script src=\"https:\/\/www.highperformanceformat.com\/644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div xmlns:default=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" data-testid=\"prism-article-body\">\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao MvWXB TjIXL aGjvy ebVHC \">The National Guard&#8217;s ongoing mission in Washington, D.C., is projected to cost another $1.4 billion through the remainder of the Trump administration, according to Defense Department estimates provided to Congress and reviewed by ABC News.<\/p>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC TjIXL aGjvy \">The projection assumes the deployment in the nation&#8217;s capital hovers around roughly 2,500 troops. There are currently 4,600 Guardsmen deployed in Washington, D.C., including roughly 2,000 additional troops temporarily sent to the city, with many coming from Republican-led states such as South Carolina, West Virginia and Georgia.<\/p>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC TjIXL aGjvy \">This is the first time the administration has provided an account of the costs of the National Guard\u2019s mission in D.C. Previously, the Congressional Budget Office estimated its deployment in D.C. costs about $55 million per month, accounting for just under 3,000 troops.<\/p>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC TjIXL aGjvy \">ABC News first reported in March that the National Guard\u2019s deployment is expected to continue through 2029.<\/p>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC TjIXL aGjvy \">The deployment has become a growing strain on Pentagon finances, particularly for the Army, which is grappling with a multibillion-dollar budget shortfall that officials say has been exacerbated by the prolonged mission, ABC News also first reported.<\/p>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC TjIXL aGjvy \">The National Guard recently signed a $292 million contract for some 2,000 apartment units for troops. Brig Gen. Leland Blanchard on Monday told reporters that it\u2019s estimated to save some $90 million in hotel costs previously used to house troops in D.C.<\/p>\n<div class=\"oLzSq QrHMO fnRUo pvsTF EhJPu vPlOC zNYgW OsTsW RMeqy daRVX ISNQ sKyCY eRftA acPPc MENS nFwaT MCnQE mEeeY SmBjI xegrY rPLsU iulOd NIuqO zzscu lzDCc aHUBM IEgzD OjMNy eQqcx SVqKB GQmdz jaoD VWDdR ONJdw vrZxD OnRTz gbbfF roDbV GPGwb oMlSS gfNzt oJhud eXZcf zhVlX \">\n<div>\n<div class=\"InlineImage GpQCA lZur asrEW \" data-testid=\"prism-inline-image\">\n<figure class=\"kzIjN GNmeK pYrtp dSqFO \" data-testid=\"prism-figure\">\n<div class=\"GpQCA lZur gIjeL \" data-testid=\"prism-ratio-frame\">\n<div class=\"FvQLF iLTd NqeUA UzzHi iWsMV \"><picture data-testid=\"prism-picture\"><source media=\"(max-width: 414px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i.abcnewsfe.com\/a\/1c7e5fae-b0bb-410b-a23a-f6863b7cde4b\/national-guard-washington-dc-ht-jt-260804_1785879397448_hpMain.jpg?w=375, https:\/\/i.abcnewsfe.com\/a\/1c7e5fae-b0bb-410b-a23a-f6863b7cde4b\/national-guard-washington-dc-ht-jt-260804_1785879397448_hpMain.jpg?w=750 2x\"\/><source media=\"(min-width: 415px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i.abcnewsfe.com\/a\/1c7e5fae-b0bb-410b-a23a-f6863b7cde4b\/national-guard-washington-dc-ht-jt-260804_1785879397448_hpMain.jpg?w=750, https:\/\/i.abcnewsfe.com\/a\/1c7e5fae-b0bb-410b-a23a-f6863b7cde4b\/national-guard-washington-dc-ht-jt-260804_1785879397448_hpMain.jpg?w=1500 2x\"\/><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"PHOTO: U.S. Army Soldiers with the Georgia National Guard, assigned to Joint Task Force District of Columbia, patrol areas around the heart of Georgetown in support of the DC Safe and Beautiful mission, July 20, 2026, in Washington, D.C. \" class=\"hsDdd NDJZt sJeUN IJwXl vBqtr KrDt itslR SjwtZ hakZw HlUVI \" data-testid=\"prism-image\" draggable=\"false\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/i.abcnewsfe.com\/a\/1c7e5fae-b0bb-410b-a23a-f6863b7cde4b\/national-guard-washington-dc-ht-jt-260804_1785879397448_hpMain.jpg\"\/><\/picture><\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption>\n<div class=\"nMMea bNYiy Mjgpa dGwha DDmxa jgKNG RGHCC aBIU PriDW aiQHS lZur \" data-testid=\"prism-caption\">\n<p><span class=\"hsDdd OOSI GpQCA lZur VlFaz \" data-testid=\"prism-truncate\"><span><span class=\"gtOSm FbbUW tUtYa vOCwz EQwFq yCufu eEak Qmvg nyTIa SRXVc vzLa jgBfc WXDas CiUCW kqbG zrdEG txGfn ygKVe BbezD UOtxr CVfpq xijV soGRS XgdC sEIlf daWqJ \">U.S. Army Soldiers with the Georgia National Guard, assigned to Joint Task Force District of Columbia, patrol areas around the heart of Georgetown in support of the DC Safe and Beautiful mission, July 20, 2026, in Washington, D.C. About 5,000 National Guard members are supporting the mission, providing critical assistance to the Metropolitan Police Department to help ensure the safety of residents, commuters, and visitors throughout the District.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"gtOSm FbbUW tUtYa vOCwz EQwFq yCufu eEak Qmvg nyTIa SRXVc vzLa jgBfc WXDas CiUCW kqbG zrdEG txGfn ygKVe BbezD UOtxr CVfpq xijV soGRS XgdC sEIlf daWqJ YNujN JGtjI aZFDu rkKLh \">Sgt. Sherald Mcaulay\/U.S. Army National Guard<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC TjIXL aGjvy \">The National Guard&#8217;s mission, dubbed &#8220;Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful,&#8221; launched in August 2025 as part of a broader push by President Donald Trump to flood U.S. cities with guardsmen to assist law enforcement. This move quickly drew legal and political scrutiny.<\/p>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC TjIXL aGjvy \">Troops were ultimately pulled back from some cities, including Los Angeles and Chicago, after the Supreme Court determined the administration lacked sufficient justification for the deployments. But in D.C., the Guard operates under a distinct framework that grants the president broader latitude.<\/p>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC TjIXL aGjvy \">The National Guard is a visible presence in the city&#8217;s corridors, patrolling Metro rail stations, downtown D.C. and the National Mall. Most are armed with M17 pistols or M4 rifles. However, troops have very limited legal authority, as they are unable to make arrests.<\/p>\n<div class=\"oLzSq QrHMO fnRUo pvsTF EhJPu vPlOC zNYgW OsTsW RMeqy daRVX ISNQ sKyCY eRftA acPPc MENS nFwaT MCnQE mEeeY SmBjI xegrY rPLsU iulOd NIuqO zzscu lzDCc aHUBM IEgzD OjMNy eQqcx SVqKB GQmdz jaoD VWDdR ONJdw vrZxD OnRTz gbbfF roDbV GPGwb oMlSS gfNzt oJhud eXZcf zhVlX \">\n<div>\n<div class=\"InlineImage GpQCA lZur asrEW \" data-testid=\"prism-inline-image\">\n<figure class=\"kzIjN GNmeK pYrtp dSqFO \" data-testid=\"prism-figure\">\n<div class=\"GpQCA lZur gIjeL \" data-testid=\"prism-ratio-frame\">\n<div class=\"FvQLF iLTd NqeUA UzzHi iWsMV \"><picture data-testid=\"prism-picture\"><source media=\"(max-width: 414px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i.abcnewsfe.com\/a\/f6e5cad7-808b-4cb0-931c-de62e0b4faa6\/national-guard-white-house-gty-jt-260804_1785879546002_hpEmbed_3x2.jpg?w=375, https:\/\/i.abcnewsfe.com\/a\/f6e5cad7-808b-4cb0-931c-de62e0b4faa6\/national-guard-white-house-gty-jt-260804_1785879546002_hpEmbed_3x2.jpg?w=750 2x\"\/><source media=\"(min-width: 415px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i.abcnewsfe.com\/a\/f6e5cad7-808b-4cb0-931c-de62e0b4faa6\/national-guard-white-house-gty-jt-260804_1785879546002_hpEmbed_3x2.jpg?w=750, https:\/\/i.abcnewsfe.com\/a\/f6e5cad7-808b-4cb0-931c-de62e0b4faa6\/national-guard-white-house-gty-jt-260804_1785879546002_hpEmbed_3x2.jpg?w=1500 2x\"\/><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\" class=\"hsDdd NDJZt sJeUN IJwXl vBqtr KrDt itslR SjwtZ hakZw HlUVI \" data-testid=\"prism-image\" draggable=\"false\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/i.abcnewsfe.com\/a\/f6e5cad7-808b-4cb0-931c-de62e0b4faa6\/national-guard-white-house-gty-jt-260804_1785879546002_hpEmbed_3x2.jpg\"\/><\/picture><\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption>\n<div class=\"nMMea bNYiy Mjgpa dGwha DDmxa jgKNG RGHCC aBIU PriDW aiQHS lZur \" data-testid=\"prism-caption\">\n<p><span class=\"hsDdd OOSI GpQCA lZur VlFaz \" data-testid=\"prism-truncate\"><span><span class=\"gtOSm FbbUW tUtYa vOCwz EQwFq yCufu eEak Qmvg nyTIa SRXVc vzLa jgBfc WXDas CiUCW kqbG zrdEG txGfn ygKVe BbezD UOtxr CVfpq xijV soGRS XgdC sEIlf daWqJ \">National Guard patrol outside the White House as construction of a new helipad continues in Washington, D.C., on July 15, 2026.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"gtOSm FbbUW tUtYa vOCwz EQwFq yCufu eEak Qmvg nyTIa SRXVc vzLa jgBfc WXDas CiUCW kqbG zrdEG txGfn ygKVe BbezD UOtxr CVfpq xijV soGRS XgdC sEIlf daWqJ YNujN JGtjI aZFDu rkKLh \">Alex Wroblewski\/AFP via Getty Images, FIE<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC TjIXL aGjvy \">In November, a gunman ambushed National Guard troops just blocks from the White House. Army Spc. Sarah Beckstrom, 20, died of her injuries on Nov. 26, the day before Thanksgiving. Air Force Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe suffered a gunshot wound to the head and remains in recovery.<\/p>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC TjIXL aGjvy \">Guardsmen are also carrying out civic duties like picking up trash, tending to landscaping and scrubbing graffiti. Some argue that troops being in safe areas have allowed more police to operate in parts of the city with heavier crime.<\/p>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC TjIXL aGjvy \">Blanchard also outlined that the Guard has intervened in hundreds of medical emergencies, including administering some 325 Narcan doses. But deploying troops is estimated to be significantly more expensive than law enforcement or other civil workers.<\/p>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC TjIXL aGjvy \">An analysis from the Niskanen Center, a Washington policy think tank, found the cost differential between troops and local law enforcement was roughly $607 per Guardsman per day compared to about $384 per day for a D.C. police officer.<\/p>\n<div class=\"oLzSq QrHMO fnRUo pvsTF EhJPu vPlOC zNYgW OsTsW RMeqy daRVX ISNQ sKyCY eRftA acPPc MENS nFwaT MCnQE mEeeY SmBjI xegrY rPLsU iulOd NIuqO zzscu lzDCc aHUBM IEgzD OjMNy eQqcx SVqKB GQmdz jaoD VWDdR ONJdw vrZxD OnRTz gbbfF roDbV GPGwb oMlSS gfNzt oJhud eXZcf zhVlX \">\n<div>\n<div class=\"InlineImage GpQCA lZur asrEW \" data-testid=\"prism-inline-image\">\n<figure class=\"kzIjN GNmeK pYrtp dSqFO \" data-testid=\"prism-figure\">\n<div class=\"GpQCA lZur gIjeL \" data-testid=\"prism-ratio-frame\">\n<div class=\"FvQLF iLTd NqeUA UzzHi iWsMV \"><picture data-testid=\"prism-picture\"><source media=\"(max-width: 414px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i.abcnewsfe.com\/a\/ce4af410-a7a6-4351-b684-a110183d161a\/national-guard-dc-01-gty-jt-260804_1785879790974_hpEmbed_3x2.jpg?w=375, https:\/\/i.abcnewsfe.com\/a\/ce4af410-a7a6-4351-b684-a110183d161a\/national-guard-dc-01-gty-jt-260804_1785879790974_hpEmbed_3x2.jpg?w=750 2x\"\/><source media=\"(min-width: 415px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i.abcnewsfe.com\/a\/ce4af410-a7a6-4351-b684-a110183d161a\/national-guard-dc-01-gty-jt-260804_1785879790974_hpEmbed_3x2.jpg?w=750, https:\/\/i.abcnewsfe.com\/a\/ce4af410-a7a6-4351-b684-a110183d161a\/national-guard-dc-01-gty-jt-260804_1785879790974_hpEmbed_3x2.jpg?w=1500 2x\"\/><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\" class=\"hsDdd NDJZt sJeUN IJwXl vBqtr KrDt itslR SjwtZ hakZw HlUVI \" data-testid=\"prism-image\" draggable=\"false\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/i.abcnewsfe.com\/a\/ce4af410-a7a6-4351-b684-a110183d161a\/national-guard-dc-01-gty-jt-260804_1785879790974_hpEmbed_3x2.jpg\"\/><\/picture><\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption>\n<div class=\"nMMea bNYiy Mjgpa dGwha DDmxa jgKNG RGHCC aBIU PriDW aiQHS lZur \" data-testid=\"prism-caption\">\n<p><span class=\"hsDdd OOSI GpQCA lZur VlFaz \" data-testid=\"prism-truncate\"><span><span class=\"gtOSm FbbUW tUtYa vOCwz EQwFq yCufu eEak Qmvg nyTIa SRXVc vzLa jgBfc WXDas CiUCW kqbG zrdEG txGfn ygKVe BbezD UOtxr CVfpq xijV soGRS XgdC sEIlf daWqJ \">National Guard members walk through the Great American State Fair during the &#8220;Salute to America&#8221; Independence Day celebration on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., on July 4, 2026.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"gtOSm FbbUW tUtYa vOCwz EQwFq yCufu eEak Qmvg nyTIa SRXVc vzLa jgBfc WXDas CiUCW kqbG zrdEG txGfn ygKVe BbezD UOtxr CVfpq xijV soGRS XgdC sEIlf daWqJ YNujN JGtjI aZFDu rkKLh \">Matthew Hatcher\/AFP via Getty Images, FILE<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC TjIXL aGjvy \">The report also noted that the National Guard\u2019s presence in D.C. has not reduced violent crime but has coincided with a decline in property crimes.<\/p>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC TjIXL aGjvy \">Local police data shows violent crime in Washington, D.C. had been falling since before the National Guard&#8217;s deployment, down 29% in 2025, following a decline of 35% in 2024.<\/p>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC eTIW sUzSN \">The National Guard can be used for civil missions but is primarily built as a force to deploy abroad for combat missions. Some 15,000 Guard troops are currently on missions overseas, defense data shows, including in the Middle East for the ongoing war with Iran.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<script async=\"async\" data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"https:\/\/pl30214220.effectivecpmnetwork.com\/9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<div id=\"container-9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\"><\/div>\r\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The National Guard&#8217;s ongoing mission in Washington, D.C., is projected to cost another $1.4 billion through the remainder of the Trump administration, according to Defense Department estimates provided to Congress and reviewed by ABC News. The projection assumes the deployment in the nation&#8217;s capital hovers around roughly 2,500 troops. There are currently 4,600 Guardsmen deployed&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":28103,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/i.abcnewsfe.com\/a\/1c7e5fae-b0bb-410b-a23a-f6863b7cde4b\/national-guard-washington-dc-ht-jt-260804_1785879397448_hpMain_16x9.jpg?w=1600","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[22],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-28102","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-abc-news"],"brizy_media":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28102","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=28102"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28102\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/28103"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=28102"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=28102"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=28102"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}