Federal Deployment of Troops to Los Angeles Reaches $118 Million, California Officials Say
Los Angeles, CA – A recent analysis from California Governor Gavin Newsom’s office reveals the deployment of National guard troops and U.S. Marines to Los Angeles this past june has cost taxpayers an estimated $118 million, sparking renewed conflict with the federal government. The deployment,initiated under the Trump administration,remains a point of contention,with California officials arguing it was an illegal overreach of federal power.
The dispute began following comments made by former President Trump regarding unrest in California, characterizing the situation as violent and criticizing Governor Newsom’s handling of it. In response, Trump authorized the deployment of both National Guard personnel and Marines.
Governor Newsom and California Attorney General Rob Bonta subsequently filed a lawsuit challenging the legality of the deployment. bonta stated the action “jumped from 0 to 60, bypassing law enforcement expertise and evaluation…threw caution to the wind and sidelined strategy in an unnecessary and inflammatory escalation that only further spurred unrest.”
A federal court last Tuesday granted California’s injunction,blocking what the state argues was “Trump’s use of the U.S. military as a domestic police force.” The cost analysis was made possible by a Freedom of Information Act request filed by the governor’s office, seeking all records related to expenses incurred since June 7th for activating the Marines and federalizing the National Guard.
The $118 million in costs breaks down as follows:
* $71 million for food and basic necessities
* $37 million in payroll
* More than $4 million in logistics supplies
* $3.5 million in travel expenses
* $1.5 million in demobilization costs
Governor newsom released a statement criticizing the expenditure, saying, “Let us not forget what this political theater is costing us all – millions of taxpayer dollars down the drain, an atrophy to the readiness of guards members across the nation and unnecessary hardships to the families supporting those troops. Talk about waste, fraud, and abuse. We ask other states to do the math themselves.”
The legal battle and financial implications of the deployment are ongoing, raising questions about the appropriate use of federal military resources within state jurisdictions.