The Voice News: The Pentagon has estimated that the recent deployment of National Guard troops and U.S. Marines to Los Angeles will cost approximately $134 million, primarily covering travel, housing, and food expenses, according to a senior Defense Department official.
Bryn MacDonnell, special assistant to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, provided the figure during a hearing before the House Appropriations Defense Subcommittee. She noted that the funds will come from the Pentagon’s operations and maintenance accounts.
The deployment—ordered by President Trump in response to mass protests against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids—includes roughly 4,000 California National Guard troops and 700 active-duty Marines.
The cost revelation came only after over an hour of questioning. Initially, Hegseth declined to answer Rep. Pete Aguilar (D-Calif.) when asked about the financial implications of the deployment. Under continued pressure from lawmakers, especially Rep. Betty McCollum (D-Minn.), Hegseth shifted focus to defending ICE and criticizing state responses to civil unrest, referencing the delayed National Guard response during the 2020 George Floyd protests in Minnesota.
McCollum insisted on receiving direct answers about how the deployment would affect training missions and which funds were being reallocated. “These are budget questions that affect this committee and the decisions we’re going to be making in a couple of hours,” she said.
Hegseth ultimately responded that the Pentagon maintains funds to address contingencies and emphasized the importance of restoring order in major cities.
McCollum also criticized the decision to deploy active-duty Marines as “escalatory” and called the National Guard activation “premature.”
Meanwhile, Rep. Aguilar expressed serious concerns over the lack of coordination with California state authorities. He cited images circulating online of troops sleeping on floors of public buildings and echoed Gov. Gavin Newsom’s claims that basic supplies like food, water, and fuel were not provided.
Hegseth rejected the accusations, calling them “disingenuous,” and stated the troops were well-equipped and cared for. He acknowledged some temporary logistical issues but said conditions were improving. The deployment is expected to last approximately 60 days.
