United States President Donald Trump's deployment of troops in major US cities in 2025 cost nearly $500m, according to the latest estimates from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO). Trump last year activated more than 10,000 National Guard soldiers and active-duty marines and sent them to Los Angeles, Washington, DC, Memphis, Portland, Chicago and New Orleans in what the president claimed was an effort to deter crime and protect federal immigration enforcement.
Driving the news: The CBO detailed its findings Wednesday in a letter to Sen. Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.). The office cautioned its estimate is "uncertain," however, because the Pentagon declined to share information about its implementation. The fine print: Total costs will vary based on how quickly and widely the "War" nomenclature is adopted, including on signs, letterheads and websites. (What was once defense.gov is now war.gov.)
