Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Tuesday, June 10, 2025, answered questions at a House Appropriations Committee subpanel hearing about deploying troops to Los Angeles to help control immigration protests. (Eric Kayne/Stars and Stripes)
WASHINGTON — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Tuesday defended the deployment of National Guard troops and Marines to respond to immigration protests in Los Angeles, saying the military was “proud to do it” and would stay involved for 60 days at a cost of $134 million.
Hegseth lashed out at California Gov. Gavin Newsom in testimony to a House Appropriations Committee subpanel and said the deployment was necessary to protect Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents as they crack down on illegal immigrants.
“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,” he said. “We’re here to maintain the peace on behalf of law-and-order officers in Los Angeles, which Gavin Newsom won’t do.”
The deployment of 4,000 National Guard troops and a battalion of 700 active-duty Marines will cost $134 million, according to the Pentagon’s acting comptroller, Bryn Woollacott MacDonnell. The estimate is for travel costs, food and housing.
Democrats on the subcommittee condemned President Donald Trump’s decision to order troops to Los Angeles as “premature” and “downright escalatory.” The use of military force on domestic soil is rare and has historically been reserved for the most extreme situations.
Rep. Betty McCollum of Minnesota, the top Democrat on the committee’s defense subpanel, grew visibly angry as Hegseth initially refused to answer questions on costs associated with the mobilization and whether troops are being diverted from training or other duties to handle the unrest.
“Active-duty military has absolutely no role in domestic law enforcement, and they are not trained for those missions,” she said. “I ask you, Mr. Secretary, and I ask the president: follow the law.”
Hegseth argued Trump has “all the authorities necessary” to enlist the military to safeguard federal agents as they do their jobs. He said the problem was “millions of illegals” and protesters who are waving flags from foreign countries and assaulting law enforcement officers.
“The governor of California is unable to execute the laws of the United States,” he said. “The governor of California has failed to protect his people, along with the mayor of Los Angeles, and so President Trump has said he will protect our agents and our Guard and Marines are proud to do it.”
The state of California has sued to block the use of National Guard troops and Newsom said Monday night that he would also sue to prevent the deployment of Marines. He posted photos on social media of National Guard members sleeping on crowded floors, some piled on top of one another.
Hegseth on Tuesday said the Defense Department is ensuring service members are housed and fed and described the troops and commanders in the field as “very well-prepared” and responding rapidly to a “deteriorating” situation.
“All of the units on the ground have been fully trained in their capabilities of what they’re executing on the ground,” he said, and later added. “Nobody cares more about the troops at the top than this secretary, the [Joint Chiefs of Staff] chairman and our department.”
