A heated congressional hearing on Wednesday scrutinized the recent deployment of National Guard troops and Marines to Los Angeles, raising questions about the legality, funding, and humanitarian conditions surrounding the operation, which is projected to last up to 60 days and cost $134 million.
The operation, which involves 4,000 National Guard personnel and 700 active-duty Marines, was ordered by President Donald Trump. The $134 million estimate, provided by the Defense Department’s acting comptroller Bryn MacDonnell, covers expenses such as travel, housing, food, and other incidentals for the troops. The funding will come from the Defense Department’s operations and maintenance budget.
“We stated very publicly that it’s 60 days because we want to ensure that those rioters, looters and thugs on the other side assaulting our police officers know that we’re not going anywhere,” Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said during an exchange with Rep. Pete Aguilar, D-Calif., during a House Appropriations subcommittee hearing. “We’re here to maintain the peace on behalf of law enforcement officers in Los Angeles, which Gavin Newsom won’t do.”
The hearing delved into the legal grounds for using military forces in a civilian law enforcement capacity. Citing U.S. Code 10, Section 246, lawmakers questioned whether the situation in Los Angeles met the criteria for such a deployment, namely, invasion, rebellion, or the inability of regular forces to execute U.S. laws. The Secretary responded, “It sounds like all three to me. If you’ve got millions of illegals… assaulting police officers… the governor of California is unable to execute the laws of the United States. The President… will protect our agents and our guard and Marines are out.”
Trump ordered the deployment of 2,000 National Guard troops to Los Angeles without the customary request from California Governor Gavin Newsom, breaking with standard protocol. At the time, several hundred demonstrators were protesting Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations, voicing concerns that detained immigrants were not receiving adequate food, water, or shelter.
Following the arrival of National Guard troops, and later, 700 U.S. Marines, protest activity intensified, drawing larger crowds into the streets and escalating confrontations between demonstrators and law enforcement.
Lawmakers expressed alarm after reports and photographs surfaced showing deployed troops sleeping on floors and lacking basic necessities such as food, water, and fuel. These photos, published by outlets such as the San Francisco Chronicle, have fueled criticism that the deployment was poorly planned, with many troops arriving without adequate lodging or basic supplies like food, water, or even portable bathrooms.
California Governor Gavin Newsom confirmed these conditions, saying 4,000 troops were sent to Los Angeles “without fuel, food, water or a place to sleep.”
