Tensions Flare at House Hearing Over National Guard Deployment in Los Angeles

On June 10, 2025, a House Appropriations Committee hearing featured tense exchanges between Rep. Pete Aguilar and U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. Aguilar questioned the deployment of the National Guard in Los Angeles, expressing concern about the lack of consultation with state authorities and the troops' reported lack of basic necessities. Hegseth responded, "The commanders and troops on the field are very well prepared." Hegseth also defended the deployment, stating that the troops were responding to a dangerous situation and that they were well-equipped. The hearing also addressed the estimated cost of the deployment, with Bryn Woollacott MacDonnell, Special Assistant to the Secretary of Defense, stating it was approximately $134 million. This sparked further debate about the use of military resources for civilian law enforcement purposes and the funding sources for such operations. The hearing highlighted the ongoing tension between federal and state authorities in addressing civil unrest.