Pentagon Estimates Deployment of Marines, National Guard to LA Will Cost $134M

The Pentagon estimates President Donald Trump’s deployment of the National Guard and Marines to Los Angeles to quell immigration protests and violence will cost at least $134 million.

The Details: Trump ordered California’s National Guard to deploy 4,100 of its members and 700 Marines to aid in providing security for federal buildings and officials. In a congressional hearing on Tuesday, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth defended the deployment, stating that it was crucial to maintain peace on behalf of law enforcement officers and that the troops would remain for 60 days.

For Context: Trump has argued that the deployments were necessary to prevent protests and standoffs from spreading, likening them to the 2020 anti-police protests and violence after the death of George Floyd. California Governor Gavin Newsom (D) and President Trump are in dispute over the president's order.

How the Media Covered It: The New York Post (Lean Right bias) framed the troop deployment as a necessary response to the violent protests and attacks on ICE agents. It also highlighted the significant costs associated with large-scale "riots", such as the 1992 Rodney King "riots" in Los Angeles and the 2020 George Floyd "riots", as context for the estimated $134 million cost of the current operation. The Hill (Center) focused on the budgetary questions surrounding the deployment, including how it would be funded and its impact on other military operations. AP News (Left) emphasized the criticism Hegseth faced from lawmakers during the budget hearing and also drew attention to other contentious issues within his tenure as Secretary of Defense.

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