By Isabella Torregiani
4:10pm PDT, Jun 21, 2025
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President
Donald Trump's deployment of the National Guard and U.S. Marines could cost an estimated $134 million, the Pentagon revealed.
Officials say the mission, intended to stop the protests in Los Angeles, could last up to 60 days.
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President Donald Trump ordered the deployment of California's National Guard, about 4,100 troops, along with 700 Marines to help protect federal buildings and government officials amid the protests.
According to Pentagon officials, troops could remain stationed in the area even after demonstrations end.
"We stated very publicly that it's 60 days because we want to ensure that those rioters, looters and thugs on the other side assaulting our police officers know that we're not going anywhere," Pete Hegseth told Rep. Pete Aguilar during a House budget hearing.
"We're here to maintain the peace on behalf of law enforcement officers in Los Angeles, which Gavin Newsom won't do," Hegseth added.
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Breaking down the $134 million figure, Pentagon Comptroller Bryn MacDonnell said the estimated cost covers "travel, housing, food, etc." for the thousands of deployed troops.
Pete Aguilar questioned Pete Hegseth, asking, "What's the justification for using the military for civilian law enforcement purposes in L.A.? Why are you sending war fighters to cities to interact with civilians?"
Hegseth responded, saying, "Every American citizen deserves to live in a safe community." He added that ICE agents must be able to do their jobs without interference.
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President Donald Trump defended his decision to call the National Guard as a preventive measure, comparing it to the 2020 protests that followed George Floyd's murder by Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin.
Pete Hegseth, who served as a National Guardsman during those protests, gave his firsthand experience: "As a secretary of defense who's been in a unit holding riot shields outside the White House during the chaos of the summer of 2020, I know what it's like to be immediately deployed into a situation like that," he said, responding to criticism over photos showing troops sleeping on floors. "That's a disingenuous attack that misrepresents how much we care about our troops and what they're doing to defend ICE agents."
