The US military occupation of cities, a phenomenon initiated by President Donald Trump's administration six months ago, has now cost nearly half a billion dollars. The National Priorities Project estimates that the price tag for these occupations is $473 million and rising.
Trump's urban occupations have been shrouded in secrecy, with even basic details about domestic troop deployments kept from the public eye. However, an expert estimate provided exclusively to The Intercept has shed light on the mounting expense of federal troop deployments. The current occupation in Los Angeles has cost $172 million, while Washington D.C. has incurred expenses of almost $270 million.
The deployment of troops to cities like Portland, Oregon, and Chicago is justified by Trump as a means of quelling dissent and turning America into a police state. However, critics argue that this move amounts to authoritarianism, with the president threatening to invoke the Insurrection Act, a law rarely used in domestic situations. The law allows the president to deploy active-duty troops or federalized National Guard forces under specific circumstances.
The Pentagon has refused to provide figures on the mounting expense of federal troop deployments, citing lack of transparency as a reason. However, a report by the Congressional Budget Office requests an independent assessment of the projected expense of deploying federalized National Guard units for domestic security operations.
In addition to these urban occupations, Trump's administration is engaged in other authoritarian measures, including compiling a "domestic terrorist organization" list and unilaterally decreeing that certain organizations are in a state of non-international armed conflict with the United States. Critics argue that these actions imperil First Amendment rights and threaten democracy.
As tensions rise, it remains to be seen whether Trump's urban occupations will continue to escalate or if they will be brought under control by the courts and Congress.
Trump's urban occupations have been shrouded in secrecy, with even basic details about domestic troop deployments kept from the public eye. However, an expert estimate provided exclusively to The Intercept has shed light on the mounting expense of federal troop deployments. The current occupation in Los Angeles has cost $172 million, while Washington D.C. has incurred expenses of almost $270 million.
The deployment of troops to cities like Portland, Oregon, and Chicago is justified by Trump as a means of quelling dissent and turning America into a police state. However, critics argue that this move amounts to authoritarianism, with the president threatening to invoke the Insurrection Act, a law rarely used in domestic situations. The law allows the president to deploy active-duty troops or federalized National Guard forces under specific circumstances.
The Pentagon has refused to provide figures on the mounting expense of federal troop deployments, citing lack of transparency as a reason. However, a report by the Congressional Budget Office requests an independent assessment of the projected expense of deploying federalized National Guard units for domestic security operations.
In addition to these urban occupations, Trump's administration is engaged in other authoritarian measures, including compiling a "domestic terrorist organization" list and unilaterally decreeing that certain organizations are in a state of non-international armed conflict with the United States. Critics argue that these actions imperil First Amendment rights and threaten democracy.
As tensions rise, it remains to be seen whether Trump's urban occupations will continue to escalate or if they will be brought under control by the courts and Congress.
The whole situation is just crazy 
. I mean, we're talking about a half billion dollars for troops occupying cities in the US, that's like insane 
. It's not even clear what the goal of these deployments is, is it? Quelling dissent? Turning America into a police state? 
It feels more like a power play to me.
. This law has been rarely used before, and when it is, it's usually for something way more serious than domestic protests. It feels like Trump is trying to undermine our democracy and First Amendment rights 
. And now we're talking about compiling a list of "domestic terrorist organizations"? That's just chilling 
.
. We can't let one person dictate how we govern ourselves as a country. This is what democracy is all about, standing up for your rights and holding those in power accountable 
.