US Cities to Receive Troop Deployment at Estimated $500 Million Cost

US President Donald Trump’s Deployment of Troops in Major Cities Costs Nearly $500 Million

The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) has released estimates indicating that ongoing operations related to President Trump’s deployment of troops in major US cities in 2025 cost approximately $496 million. The CBO director, Phillip Swagel, reported that the administration deployed National Guard personnel and active-duty Marine Corps personnel to six US cities: Los Angeles, Washington, DC, Memphis, Portland, Chicago, and New Orleans.

The number of troops patrolling US streets fluctuated throughout 2025 due to legal challenges from city and state officials. By the end of December 2025, around 5,000 National Guard soldiers remained activated. The CBO estimates that maintaining an ongoing deployment at this size will cost $93 million per month in 2026.

Operations have been suspended in Los Angeles, Chicago, and Portland since the end of December, but continue in Washington, DC, Memphis, and New Orleans. If additional deployments occur, the CBO estimates that deploying 1,000 National Guards to an average US city will cost between $18 million and $21 million per month.

The most costly military operation in 2025 was in Washington, DC, with a monthly cost of $232 million. The CBO also reports that maintaining troops in Washington, DC, will cost the city $55 million per month. Other cities’ deployments had varying costs: Los Angeles ($193m), Portland ($26m), Chicago ($21m), and New Orleans ($6m).

Source: Al Jazeera