A group of National Guard soldiers patrol the National Mall in Washington, DC, in August 2025. Although crime in DC has decreased during the National Guard’s presence, it is unclear if the two are related, and critics have argued that the large expense of the deployment is unjustified. (Shutterstock/Philip Yabut)

National Guard Deployment in DC Will Cost $1.4 Billion, DOD Says

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The cost of stationing National Guard personnel in Washington, DC, is around $600 per guardsman per day—almost double the cost of hiring an additional police officer.

Almost exactly one year ago, on August 11, 2025, President Donald Trump signed Executive Order 14333 officially deploying US National Guard personnel to the streets of Washington, DC. At the time, Trump cited safety concerns to justify the deployment, claiming that they could help reduce crime in America’s capital.

In the weeks that followed, hundreds of National Guard personnel, including both the DC National Guard and Guard units from South Carolina, West Virginia, and Georgia, began to deploy to Washington. The Department of Defense has extended the deployment multiple times, and current plans call for the troops to remain in place through January 20, 2029, when the next president enters office.........

© The National Interest