Trump’s keeping the National Guard in DC until 2029 on taxpayers’ dime
Trump’s keeping the National Guard in DC until 2029 on taxpayers’ dime
- Fri, Sep 18 2026 at 12:30 PM
AP News: “Guard deployment to Washington into 2029 will cost roughly $1.4B, estimate shows”
President Trump has decided to extend the National Guard deployment in DC until January 2029. This will cost taxpayers roughly $1.4 BILLION, according to a Defense Department estimate provided to Congress.
Since Trump declared a “crime emergency” in DC last August, uniformed troops and federal officials have been deployed throughout the city with very little transparency concerning their activities.
This is a blatant misuse of the military and a startling escalation of federal overreach.
That’s why CREW filed records requests to establish the cost of the takeover, determine how the reassignment of federal law enforcement officers affects agency priorities and shed light on what, if any, training was provided to officers who participated in the takeover.
But our requests went unanswered. So we sued twelve federal agencies for failing to produce records, because Americans deserve transparency from their government.In August 2025, Trump declared a “crime emergency” in Washington, DC. Then he federalized the city’s police, activated the National Guard and sent law enforcement from several federal agencies into the streets.
At first, the National Guard was supposed to be deployed through February 2026, but now the administration has extended it through the end of Trump’s term.
This takeover has proven costly. USA Today received records showing that the deployment of the National Guard alone was set to cost $1.8 million in taxpayer funds per day.
With the extension, reports indicate that the price tag for the National Guard deployment will be a jaw-dropping $1.4 BILLION. That doesn’t even include the costs from the other agencies Trump deployed to respond to the so-called “emergency.”
American taxpayers are footing the bill.
We already got records back from one agency, the U.S. Marshals Service, identifying an additional $18 million in costs related to their deployment in DC.
Let’s be clear, Mark: Trump’s takeover is completely unnecessary and baseless. It’s trampling DC’s autonomy, costing taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars and undermining democracy in the process.
That’s why CREW is suing to get answers about the takeover and provide the public with information about how their tax dollars are being spent.
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