Social media users are mockingly summoning the Department of Government Efficiency after the Pentagon's top budget official revealed that the cost of deploying the National Guard in Los Angeles, California, sat at around $134 million.
Aguilar: What is the estimated cost of the deployment for the National Guard and the Marines to LA?
— Acyn (@Acyn) June 10, 2025
MacDonnell: The current estimated cost is $134 million pic.twitter.com/qaxyHJ3jcv
While testifying before the House Appropriations Defense Subcommittee during an oversight hearing on Tuesday, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Pentagon budget official Bryn MacDonnell revealed the cost of President Donald Trump deploying 2,000 National Guard troops to Los Angeles in the wake of immigration protests.
"What is the estimated cost of the deployment for the Guard and the Marines to LA, and where is this funding coming from? Will it be coming from quality of life programs that affect our service members or families?" California Rep. Pete Aguilar asked.
"Before I hand it to Bryn, the insinuation that we're pulling money from housing and barracks in order to fund this is disingenuous and incorrect," Hegseth responded.
"So the current estimated cost is $134 million, which is largely just TDY costs, travel, housing, food," MacDonnell added.
Social media users quickly took to online platforms to share their shock at the cost, jokingly summoning DOGE.
"@elonmusk Eloon, we've found some of your waste, fraud and abuse," said one user.
@elonmusk Eloon, we’ve found some of your waste, fraud and abuse
— Thom (@thommarshall) June 10, 2025
"where's doge when there's actual waste going on?" said another.
where’s doge when there’s actual waste going on ?
— AvA 🕊 (@AvA4Bleue) June 10, 2025
"Where is DOGE @elonmusk," said a third.
Where is DOGE @elonmusk
— Kismet (@Cinder39) June 10, 2025
"If only there was a Department of Government Efficiency," added a fourth.
If only there was a Department of Government Efficiency
— Don Geddit (@I_Don_Geddit) June 10, 2025
President Donald Trump deployed the National Guard to Los Angeles after protests against immigration enforcement actions began last Friday. The protests began in response to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids in various locations around the city.
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