President Donald Trump’s military occupations of American cities have already cost taxpayers half a billion dollars, according to a new report released by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office. This unprecedented militarization of America could cost more than $1 billion this year if current domestic deployments continue.

During his second term, Trump has deployed active-duty troops and National Guard members to occupy six Democratic-led cities to quell dissent, assist anti-immigration efforts, protect federal buildings and personnel, or address crime. After repeated setbacks in federal courts and the Supreme Court’s refusal to allow a military occupation of Chicago, the Trump administration withdrew forces from California, Oregon, and Illinois earlier this month. Troops are still deployed in D.C., Memphis, and New Orleans. Two hundred members of the Texas National Guard also remain on standby for deployment. These ongoing operations will cost $93 million per month in 2026, according to the CBO.

“The CBO numbers confirm what invaded and over-policed communities have always known — the U.S. government is invested in control and domination, not caring for people,” said Hanna Homestead of the National Priorities Project, who provided the estimates on the deployment costs. “They are spending billions to militarize our streets while cutting food aid, healthcare, social services, and labor and environmental protections – at a time of unparalleled wealth inequality.”

  • D_C@sh.itjust.works
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    4
    ·
    9 hours ago

    Alternative title:
    Morbidly Obese Dementia Riddled Toddler Wasted Millions To Try To Distract From Decades And Decades Of Child Rapes (and a shit ton of other crimes)

  • Formfiller@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    14
    ·
    13 hours ago

    Cheer up guys we just bought Israel a new fleet of fighter jets completely free of charge because they are such good “friends” and are definitely not blackmailing and bribing our elected officials

  • SocialMediaRefugee@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    6
    ·
    edit-2
    13 hours ago

    I thought the gov was broke and we didn’t even have money for NASA or PBS? Funny how they managed to find half a billion for this. So much for cutting out “waste”, eh?

  • BigMacHole@sopuli.xyz
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    9
    arrow-down
    1
    ·
    14 hours ago

    DOGE fired my Entire Family and Killed my Veteran Father to SAVE MONEY! I LOVE this News!

  • Raiderkev@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    5
    ·
    13 hours ago

    When I went to New Orleans earlier this year, there was no ICE, but there were national guard. They were fucking useless. Standing around doing fuck all. Great use of my fucking taxpayer dollars cunt.

  • LillyPip@lemmy.ca
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    22
    ·
    edit-2
    19 hours ago

    Cool.

    You could spend that same amount of money to prevent crime by making sure people are fed, have stable housing, and healthcare – you know, preventing the reasons for crime, but no. Instead, let’s spent 10x the amount terrorising people.

    Fucking fascism.

  • BarneyPiccolo@lemmy.today
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    8
    ·
    edit-2
    18 hours ago

    Remember when Republicans were all about smaller government and economic responsibility?

    That’s why I say that the Republican party is dead, and was only the larval stage before it morphed into its final form - MAGA.

    • AngryCommieKender@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      10
      ·
      17 hours ago

      When was that? Every Republican administration in my lifetime has practically doubled the federal debt. That includes their patron devil, Regan.

  • lechekaflan@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    2
    arrow-down
    1
    ·
    edit-2
    11 hours ago

    Ultimately the bastards want a white Christian ethnostate, hence the “occupations” and trying to seize full control of cities they deem as “in anarchy”.

    So, any serviceman will have questions about “lawful orders”. They gotta think just like that Cossack.