Trump’s troop deployment in US cities cost almost $500m in 2025

Al JazeeraCenterEN 2 min read 100% complete by Erin HaleJanuary 29, 2026 at 06:39 AM

AI Summary

medium article 2 min

In 2025, President Trump's deployment of National Guard and active-duty Marines to major US cities cost nearly $500 million, according to a Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimate released in January 2026. Over 10,000 troops were sent to cities including Los Angeles, Washington, DC, Memphis, Portland, Chicago, and New Orleans, ostensibly to deter crime and protect federal immigration enforcement. The number of troops fluctuated due to legal challenges, with just over 5,000 remaining by the end of December 2025. The CBO estimates that maintaining this level of deployment will cost $93 million per month in 2026. While operations have been suspended in some cities, they continue in others, and future deployments of 1,000 National Guard members to a city could cost $18-21 million monthly.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Marine Corps 40% Phillip Swagel 40% Portland ×250% Memphis ×250% Chicago ×250% New Orleans ×250% Los Angeles ×260% Washington, DC ×260% National Guard ×360% Congressional Budget Office ×370% United States ×580% Donald Trump ×490%

Keywords

troop deployment 90% cost estimates 80% us cities 70% congressional budget office 70% national guard 60% active-duty marines 50% federal enforcement 40% legal challenges 40%