Defense Secretary Refuses Costs Deployment Marines, National Guard Los Angeles

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth faced intense questioning from lawmakers about the legal and financial justification for deploying 700 Marines and 2,000 National Guard troops to Los Angeles amid immigration-related protests. Senator Tammy Baldwin pressed Hegseth to cite the specific constitutional or statutory authority President Donald Trump is relying on to send active-duty Marines into California neighborhoods, but Hegseth was unable to provide a precise legal provision, only referencing historical precedent and promising to follow up. Meanwhile, Representative Betty McCollum criticized the deployment as unnecessary and an unfair position for the Marines, repeatedly asking for the cost and resource implications of the deployment, which Hegseth declined to disclose during hearings, deflecting to criticisms of the prior Biden administration and emphasizing ICE's right to operate nationwide. Hegseth defended the use of troops to protect ICE agents during their operations, asserting the Marines are trained for domestic missions. The deployment marks a rare use of federal troops without the state's governor's request, escalating tensions amid ongoing protests and clashes in Los Angeles. Lawmakers continue to seek transparency on both the legal basis and financial impact of the federal military presence in the city.