Trump's deployment of National Guard members to Chicago cost taxpayers $21 million, congressional report says

A new Congressional Budget Office report has revealed that the deployment of National Guard members by former President Donald Trump's administration to Chicago in 2025 was a costly endeavor, with taxpayers footing the bill for $21 million. Despite the troops being confined to bases amidst federal court battles, the deployment went ahead under Trump's order on October 4.

According to the report requested by Senators Tammy Duckworth and Dick Durbin, as well as nine of their colleagues, domestic deployments of National Guard personnel or active-duty Marine Corps members to six U.S. cities - Los Angeles, Washington D.C., Memphis, Portland, Chicago, and New Orleans - have cost taxpayers a staggering $496 million through the end of December 2025.

The deployment in question saw about 375 Illinois National Guard members mobilized to Chicago under Operation Midway Blitz, while another 200 Texas National Guard members were sent to Illinois briefly before returning. All guardsmen in Illinois were demobilized by January 21, but 200 Texas National Guard members remain on standby, costing $4 million a month.

The U.S. Supreme Court had ruled against Trump's deployment, finding that he invoked a law requiring him to first be unable to execute federal law with help from regular military forces. The court's decision came after lower-court judges blocked the deployment within Illinois since early October.

The report provides insight into future deployments and estimates costs of deploying 1,000 National Guard personnel to a city in 2026 at $18 million to $21 million per month, depending on the city's cost of living. Deployments to other cities have seen varying costs: Los Angeles ($193 million), Oregon ($26 million), Washington D.C. ($223 million), and Memphis ($33 million).

In response to the report, Senator Dick Durbin has described the deployments as an "abhorrent violation of the Constitution" and a "harmful diversion of federal resources." Senator Tammy Duckworth has called the deployment an "immense waste of taxpayer dollars," highlighting its negative impact on military readiness, morale, and resources.

The recent Congressional Budget Office report is quite telling . The fact that taxpayers have been footing the bill for these deployments, which have already racked up a whopping $496 million, raises serious questions about the fiscal responsibility of such actions. I mean, it's one thing to deploy troops in support of national security interests, but it's quite another to do so without adequately budgeting for the costs .

The Supreme Court's decision, while ultimately correct, is a missed opportunity to clarify the legal framework governing these types of deployments. As Senator Durbin noted, the deployment was an "abhorrent violation" of the Constitution - and I think that's a fair assessment . The fact that taxpayers are still footing the bill for 200 Texas National Guard members on standby is just staggering .

It's also worth noting that these deployments seem to be taking a toll on military readiness, morale, and resources . The costs, while significant, pale in comparison to the potential benefits of such actions. As we look ahead to future deployments, it's essential that we prioritize fiscal responsibility and ensure that any deployment is justified by clear, measurable objectives .

I just can't believe how much money we're wasting on these deployments! $496 million so far? That's a crazy amount of cash that could be spent on something way more important than sending troops to cities for no clear reason . And it gets worse - the courts had already ruled against this, but Trump went ahead anyway! I'm all for national security and whatnot, but can't we find better ways to do things? Maybe just having a conversation with the states instead of deploying troops would work . It's like, we're paying these guardsmen while they're not even doing anything . And now we gotta pay them another $4 million a month for the 200 Texas guys on standby?! It's just too much

I'm totally against these deployments, but at the same time, I think it's kinda cool that Trump actually followed through with his plan... wait, no way, that's a total waste of money! The fact that it cost $21 million to deploy just 375 guardsmen in Chicago is crazy. But what if it really was necessary for public safety or something? Meanwhile, I'm all about supporting our troops, but we should be using our resources more efficiently... unless we're not, and the real problem is the lawmakers who are making these decisions without thinking about the long-term effects . And can we please talk about how much money these deployments are costing taxpayers? $496 million so far is just insane!

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I'm still trying to wrap my head around this whole thing . Like, I get that our government needs to make decisions, but $496 million? That's insane! And it's not just the money, it's also about the impact on the National Guard and our country as a whole. I mean, we're supposed to be learning how to work together, not wasting resources on deployments that aren't even backed by law . And to think that 200 Texas guardsmen are still waiting around for who knows what reason... it's just not right .

I cant believe what's going on here . Like, who spends 21 million bucks on deploying National Guard to Chicago? That's crazy talk! And all for Operation Midway Blitz? What's that even supposed to be? Some kinda domestic disaster drill gone wrong? And the fact that these dudes were stuck in bases while courts are still fighting them is just wild . I mean, we're talking 496 million bucks so far and it's all just a big mystery. What's the real story here? Is this some kinda experiment gone bad? And now they're saying 1k Guardsmen could cost 18-21 million per month? Are you kidding me?!

Ugh, this is so frustrating ... I mean, who knew deploying the National Guard would cost that much? It's like, you're sending people to help, but it's not even working out . And all that money could've been used for something really important, like fixing our infrastructure or supporting those affected by poverty and inequality . It just feels like a huge waste of taxpayer dollars... and I'm sure many people are going to be feeling the pinch . Can't we just work together to find better solutions instead of relying on deployments?

omg u guys i cant believe what just came out about trump's ngo ops lol so like we know he sent 375 il guards to chicago last yr but didnt tell us the cost was like $21 million lol thats crazy! & now its revealed that another 200 texas guards were brought in briefly before returning which is weird cuz why would they do that? & dont even get me started on dick durbin saying its an abhorrent violation of the constitution i feel him tho, all that money could be going towards actual military readiness & morale lol. anyway, just wanted to share this juicy info

I mean, what's up with deploying National Guard members to multiple cities without proper funding? It seems like they just threw some numbers at a spreadsheet and hoped for the best . $496 million in costs so far? That's crazy! And what's with the secrecy surrounding these deployments? How do we even know how much they cost when taxpayers are footing the bill?

I'm not buying that this is all just a coincidence or some kind of necessary security measure. It sounds like there was a lot of hubris and poor planning going on, especially considering the court ruling against Trump's deployment . And now we're stuck with a report that's more informative than insightful? Where are the hard answers? The concrete evidence to back up these claims? Give me some sources or something

I mean, come on... $496 million? It's crazy to think about that amount being spent just because some politicians decided to deploy troops to specific cities without a clear plan or strategy. And now we're talking about another 200 guardsmen costing the taxpayers $4 million a month just in case they might need them... it doesn't add up, you know? I'm not saying the military doesn't need some help, but do we really need to be footing the bill for every little thing? It's like they're sending out a bunch of checkbooks instead of actually tackling the real issues.

I'm all about cutting through the noise . Let's get real for a sec – $21 million just to keep some National Guard members in Chicago? That's wild . I mean, what were they even doing there? The report says it was all under Trump's order, but now it seems like we're footing the bill for whatever his vision was . And with the cost of living varying between cities, it just gets more complicated .

I'm no expert, but it does seem like a lot of money could've been spent on something way more beneficial than "Operation Midway Blitz" . I mean, what's the real goal here? Is it really about supporting communities or is it just about sending out troops to make headlines? Either way, we're the ones paying for it . It's time to take a closer look at our priorities and see where we can cut back on unnecessary spending .

This whole thing just highlights how expensive military deployments can be . I'm not saying they're never necessary, but let's make sure we're doing everything we can to support our troops while also being smart with our taxpayer dollars . The numbers are pretty staggering, and it's time for us to have a more nuanced conversation about the true cost of military deployments .

$496M for 6 cities is wild! Can't believe our tax $$$ goes to some fancy op with no clear goals

Ugh , can't believe we're still footing the bill for these deployments . $496 million in just one year is crazy . And what's the point of all this? Operation Midway Blitz sounds like a total waste of time . I mean, even though Trump said it was about "maintaining public safety" (yeah right ), we all know it's just an excuse for him to show off .

And have you seen these numbers? Los Angeles is already $193 million in the hole and we're still spending millions on Oregon . It's like, can't we just cut some costs here? Or better yet, just send them home already . This is just a massive abuse of power . We need to hold our lawmakers accountable for these kinds of decisions .

Man... $496 million is a crazy amount for these deployments . I get why the senators are upset, but can't we find a way to reduce costs without taking away from our national security? I mean, I'm all for supporting our troops, but $4 million a month for 200 Texas Guardsmen is just ridiculous . And what's with the Operation Midway Blitz name, sounds like some wild game of military ops . Anyway, it's good that we're keeping an eye on these deployments and making sure they're not taking a toll on our resources...