Pentagon Projects $1.4 Billion Cost to Extend Washington Guard Mission Through 2029

Maintaining National Guard forces in Washington, D.C. through January 2029 will cost approximately $1.4 billion, according to a Defense Department estimate submitted to Congress.

The fiscal projection for fiscal years 2027 through 2029 assumes an average baseline force of 2,500 National Guard members stationed in the nation’s capital. The Pentagon confirmed the mission will continue until Jan. 20, 2029, “or until terminated by the President.”

The cost breakdown was provided to The Associated Press following questions from Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., after being first reported by The Washington Post.

“While American families are getting flattened by skyrocketing costs, Donald Trump is spending $1.4 billion to keep troops on the streets in Washington for years on end,” Warren said in an emailed statement. “The National Guard are not pawns and taxpayer dollars are not a piggy bank for Trump’s political stunts.”

The deployment began last summer when President Donald Trump issued an emergency order launching a law enforcement surge in the city to fight crime. Beyond supporting arrest operations, hundreds of armed Guard troops have assisted with snow removal and municipal beautification projects. Total force numbers temporarily surged to about 5,000 personnel during celebrations marking the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.

While court decisions elsewhere have limited the deployment of National Guard members, their sustained deployment continues in Washington, D.C. where the president serves as the direct commander of the D.C. Guard.

As of late July, 4,600 military personnel from D.C. and 23 states and territories remained in the city. Georgia accounted for roughly 800 personnel—more than the D.C. National Guard itself. Maj. R. Dustin Cole, spokesperson for the Georgia Air National Guard, said in an email the increased number is temporary, without detailing when or how many troops would be withdrawn.

Other state components have initiated phased drawdowns. Col. Joel Lynch of the Arkansas National Guard said about half of the state’s 238 soldiers in D.C. will return home the end of this month and 123 are projected to return near the end of October. Hawaii stated it will bring home its 27 members later this month after the Freedom 250 Grand Prix, while Louisiana plans to retain roughly 150 Guard members in the city through January 2027.

Don and Donna Powell, residents of the city who split time between Washington and Texas, argued that funding devoted to the military presence should be reallocated.

“They’re everywhere. They’re just hiding wherever it’s shady,” said Donna Powell, while attending a FreeDC protest Monday against the continued surge. The money being spent for them “could be spent on healthcare and food for families that need it and instead we’re wasting our money.”