The ongoing National Guard mission in Washington, DC, part of President Donald Trump’s effort to fight crime in the city, is estimated to cost about $1 million a day, experts told CNN.
Kate Kuzminski, director of studies at the Center for New American Security, said rough calculations show the mission likely costs more than $1 million daily. This includes pay for more than 2,200 National Guard troops, as well as housing, travel, food, fuel, and other logistics. This estimate is based on the 2020 mobilization of around 5,000 National Guardsmen to DC, which was estimated to cost more than $2 million a day.
Retired Marine Corps Col. Mark Cancian, a senior adviser at the Center for Strategic and International Studies who used to work at the Office of Management and Budget, told CNN that the mission also costs roughly $1 million a day. These numbers do not include other federal law enforcement agencies involved in the operation.
The Pentagon and National Guard have not provided official cost estimates for the mission, even though they were able to do so for a similar mission two months ago.
“We won’t know the total cost until the mission concludes,” a defense official told CNN. The official directed CNN to the White House for follow-up questions about the daily $1 million estimate. Questions sent to the National Guard were referred to the Pentagon.
The Intercept first reported the estimated cost of the National Guard mission.
It is normal not to know the final price of a mission like this because logistics can change over time. It is also unclear if service members’ orders will be extended. Multiple US officials told CNN that the reluctance to release numbers is partly because the mission involves senior Pentagon and White House officials, who closely control information.
Two US officials told CNN that a rough estimate is probably available or being calculated. However, only the most senior officials are allowed to discuss it due to the political nature of the mission. One official explained that normally, cost information is approved at lower levels. Since the mission is funded federally, money comes from the Army and Air Force.
“We know that funding is made available, we just don’t know the estimate or who’s approving it or how much is available,” said a second US official. They added that “everybody wants to have their hands in” any communication about the mission because the White House is involved.
A third US official said the situation is likely a mix of both — that a cost estimate is still being calculated, but it won’t be shared until senior Pentagon or White House officials decide.
The Pentagon was able to give a cost estimate for a mission in Los Angeles in June, just three days after around 4,000 Guardsmen were mobilized.
“The current estimated cost is $134 million which is largely just (temporary duty) cost, travel, housing, food, etc.,” Bryn MacDonnell, a special assistant to the secretary of defense, told Congress on June 10. President Donald Trump signed a memorandum mobilizing 2,000 Guardsmen on June 7.
As of Tuesday morning, 2,254 National Guard troops were in DC, including more than 1,300 from six other states supporting the DC National Guard. Some are stationed at metro stations, monuments, and memorials, while others help with “beautification projects,” like picking up trash, planting grass, and spreading mulch.
The total cost of the mission includes not just the service members’ pay but also hotel rooms for out-of-state troops, food and water, fuel for vehicles, laundry service, and other basic logistics.
