SACRAMENTO – Nearly one year after Trump illegally federalized California’s National Guard and five months after the Supreme Court ruled against Trump, Gov. Gavin Newsom May 19 announced that California has finally received a long-delayed response from Pete Hegseth’s Department of Defense, regarding the cost of the Trump Administration’s illegal federalization and deployment of the California National Guard in Los Angeles last summer.
According to records produced in response to Gov. Newsom’s August 2025 Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request, the deployment has already cost taxpayers an estimated $111.2 million across Fiscal Years 2025 and 2026 — with final overtime and demobilization costs still outstanding, meaning the true total is expected to be even higher. All this while the nation honors servicemembers during Military Appreciation Month.
The records come after months of delay from Pete Hegseth’s Department of Defense and repeated follow-up requests from the Governor’s Office.
Last September, California estimated the deployment would cost taxpayers roughly $120 million. Newly released federal records now confirm those projections were accurate — and likely conservative. Civilian overtime costs associated with the demobilization efforts had not yet been finalized as of January 2026 and are expected to increase the total further.
Troops pulled from essential missions
The deployment diverted critical California National Guard personnel away from longstanding public safety and counterdrug operations across the state.
Among the disrupted operations:
- Counterdrug Task Force operations supporting federal, state, and local law enforcement efforts targeting transnational criminal organizations and fentanyl trafficking;
- Task Force Rattlesnake, California’s elite National Guard firefighting force that supports wildfire prevention and suppression efforts statewide;
The reassignment of Guard personnel created operational gaps during peak wildfire preparedness season and strained ongoing anti-fentanyl efforts as California continues confronting the opioid crisis.
Accountability still owed
California will continue seeking updated cost figures from the federal government as outstanding overtime and demobilization expenses are finalized.