At the height of this summer’s deployment, more than 4,000 National Guard troops from more than 15 states were sent to Washington, D.C.—my home. Thousands remain here today, even though there is no emergency requiring their presence. In recent weeks, Arkansas and Michigan have withdrawn their troops, joining other states that have ended their participation in President Donald Trump’s manufactured emergency.
Governors have the authority to decline requests to send their National Guard troops to D.C., and a growing number have done so. I’m glad to see those troops going home. But their departure leaves Washingtonians with an obvious question: why are so many still here?
The remaining troops should go home, too. Keeping National Guard troops deployed in D.C. without a genuine emergency is an expensive stunt that has nothing to do with safety. The deployment has already cost taxpayers well over a quarter of a billion dollars.
If the president continues to station National Guard troops in D.C. through 2029, as planned, the cost to taxpayers could climb to $3.4 billion. Think about what $3.4 billion could mean if it were invested in communities instead. According to the National Priorities Project, over three years, that amount could fund paid parental leave for more than 12,000 people, medical care for more than 7,000 veterans and the hiring of more than 5,000 registered nurses.
The costs aren’t only financial. National Guard members also have civilian jobs. Some are students, and others have families and communities depending on them.
That matters to me because my objection is not to the people wearing the uniform. National Guard members perform important roles for communities across the country, especially during natural disasters and other major emergencies. They deserve our gratitude for that service.
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