WASHINGTON—It’s been a year since President Donald Trump ordered National Guard troops from around the country to Washington, D.C. As of July 2026, almost 5,000 still occupy the streets of the nation’s capital, sent in by multiple state governors, including from Democratic-led states. Now, the National Guard’s presence in the city has been extended to January 2029, all the way through the next general election and presidential inauguration.
The National Guard presence has cost American taxpayers $330 million since it began in August 2025. Trump’s “Summer Surge” increased troop levels in the city, and each day of the occupation is now estimated to cost $3 million. With the new extension, the total cost of the National Guard occupation of D.C. is estimated to be between $2.5 billion and $3.4 billion.
“I’m angry at the leaders who have chosen to use National Guard members as instruments of political theater,” Karen Degraphenreid, a former major in the U.S. Air Force, told People’s World.
“These troops should be serving their own states and responding to floods, hurricanes, wildfires, and real emergencies, not standing post in the capital city in an attempt to normalize military occupation,” Degaphenreid said.
Republican governors have lent their full support to Trump’s “Safe and Beautiful” mission, a campaign concocted to justify the military occupation, but Democratic governors have sent troops to the city as well.
The total number of National Guard personnel in D.C. at the time of this article, according to data from the Joint Task Force–District of Columbia (JTF-DC), is as follows:
Georgia has the most National Guard personnel present, with more than 800 from the state now in the city. Gov. Brian Kemp, a proud supporter of Trump’s deployment, even appeared in person last year to cheer on Georgia’s troops.
South Carolina and Mississippi are close behind, accounting for 1,500 troops collectively. Gov. Henry McMaster of South Carolina is a Trump loyalist who, in 2023, stated that he “looks forward to the day that Democrats are so rare, we have to hunt them with dogs.”
Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves has also echoed Trump’s racist narrative about crime in D.C. as justification for sending his state’s Guard into the city. Reeves signed a proclamation for “Confederate Heritage Month” and has said there is no systemic racism in America.
All three governors are in their final terms and cannot run again.
Among Democratic-led states, Michigan has the most National Guard personnel present. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said the Michigan Guard would be deployed only to support events tied to Trump’s 250th anniversary celebration, but Michigan troops were seen as far as the Georgetown neighborhood, more than a mile from where the festivities were held.
The D.C. Council called on Whitmer to remove the troops from the city and raised concerns about an open-ended military operation in the nation’s capital during election season. Other Democratic-led states, including Minnesota and Maryland, withdrew their troops after the 250th celebration ended, but as of this writing, Michigan’s National Guard remains.
Free DC, with support from organizations nationwide, sent a letter urging Whitmer to remove the Michigan National Guard from D.C. Organizers are also calling on the public to send their own letters directly to governors participating in the occupation.
“If we can’t question the long-term deployment of military forces in a capital city, then we’ve confused loyalty to the government with loyalty to the Constitution,” said Samuel Port, a U.S. Army veteran and member of the veterans group Common Defense.
“Americans who oppose this deployment should organize. Speak out. Support local movements. Call their representatives. Attend demonstrations. Have hard conversations. Democracies don’t stay healthy because people are compliant. They only work when we stand our ground on our principles.”
We hope you appreciated this article. At People’s World, we believe news and information should be free and accessible to all, but we need your help. Our journalism is free of corporate influence and paywalls because we are totally reader-supported. Only you, our readers and supporters, make this possible. If you enjoy reading People’s World and the stories we bring you, please support our work by donating or becoming a monthly sustainer today. Thank you!
CONTRIBUTOR
