Federal troop deployments to six U.S. cities, including Portland, reached $496 million by December 2025

Cost estimate details and scope

Federal deployments of National Guard troops and active-duty Marines to six U.S. cities—including Portland—cost taxpayers about $496 million through the end of December 2025, based on a nonpartisan budget analysis requested by Oregon Sen. Jeff Merkley. The estimate covers expenses tied to activating and sustaining personnel, including pay and benefits, lodging, transportation, and related support costs.

The deployments cited in the analysis involved Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, Chicago, Memphis, and Portland, as well as activity involving Marines in the same period. A separate December 2025 deployment to New Orleans was not included in the $496 million figure, meaning the total federal spending associated with these operations is likely higher than the reported baseline.

What continuation could mean for 2026

The budget analysis projects that continuing deployments at comparable levels would cost about $93 million per month. At that pace, costs could exceed $1 billion over the course of 2026, depending on the size and duration of operations and whether additional cities are added.

For future scenarios, the analysis also estimates that deploying 1,000 National Guard personnel to a U.S. city in 2026 would cost roughly $18 million to $21 million per month, with the range driven in part by local cost-of-living and operating conditions.

Policy rationale and points of dispute

The White House has framed the deployments as a public-safety measure intended to support law enforcement and reduce violent crime. Critics—including city and state leaders in several locations—have argued that the deployments intrude on state and local authority and raise constitutional and statutory concerns regarding military involvement in domestic law enforcement activities.

The dispute has centered on both the size of the spending and the legal authority for the deployments, with questions about what roles uniformed personnel performed and whether those duties crossed boundaries set by federal law.

Legal challenges and evolving constraints

The deployments have triggered litigation in multiple jurisdictions. In California, a federal court ruling in 2025 found that the use of federalized National Guard troops and Marines for civilian law enforcement activities in Los Angeles violated the Posse Comitatus Act, a federal law limiting military participation in domestic policing. That ruling was reported as subject to ongoing legal proceedings.

The combination of legal challenges and shifting operational guidance creates uncertainty for future cost projections. Even so, the latest budget estimates provide a benchmark for what large-scale federal deployments to major cities have already cost and what similar operations could cost if extended into 2026.

Key numbers at a glance

• Estimated cost through Dec. 31, 2025: $496 million
• Estimated continuation cost: about $93 million per month
• Illustrative 2026 cost for 1,000 Guard personnel: about $18–$21 million per month
• New Orleans deployment in Dec. 2025: excluded from the $496 million total