Duckworth Presses for Answers on Cost of Trump Executive Orders to Deploy Troops to Guantanamo Bay, Impact on Military Readiness

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – Today, combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—a member of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee—pressed officials for answers regarding how much President Trump’s calls to transfer 30,000 migrants to Guantanamo Bay would cost, in addition to the impact these efforts would have on our military readiness. In her remarks, Duckworth asked the witnesses to detail the timeline for facilities expansion, construction costs and personnel costs. Duckworth’s questioning highlighted how the Trump Administration has failed to provide our military with details needed to fulfill their directive and would come at the expense of our military readiness. Duckworth’s full remarks can be found on the Senator’s YouTube.

“Our country faces serious threats from foreign adversaries, but Donald Trump ordering the deployment of our servicemembers to Guantanamo Bay to facilitate holding migrants there will do nothing to counter China in the Indo-Pacific—and will instead harm our military readiness while costing taxpayers millions of dollars,” said Senator Duckworth. “Despite Republicans claiming they want to ensure our military is the most lethal fighting force in the world, Trump’s executive orders will force our Armed Forces to divert time and resources away from training and executing their core mission. This Administration must prioritize our military readiness, not cheap political points at the expense of our national security.”

During the committee hearing, Duckworth questioned General Gregory M. Guillot, USAF, Commander of for U.S. Northern Command (NORTHCOM) and North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) and Admiral Alvin Holsey, USN, Commander of U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) on how the Trump Administration’s executive orders would stretch our military thin and leave us less prepared to combat threats from adversaries like the PRC.

Duckworth asked Admiral Holsey if the Trump Administration has provided projected costs for the President’s orders, asking: “Could you provide a breakdown of the timeline and projected construction costs for increasing Guantanamo's capacity to 30,000 people, as outlined by the President’s directive?” and “Do you have estimates for the personnel costs associated with this effort?” Admiral Holsey indicated that the Trump Administration has not provided a projected construction and personnel cost for the completion of the entire directive. Additionally, Duckworth asked Admiral Holsey if he was aware of how redirecting funds from the military’s budget to complete this directive would impact our readiness, asking: “What priorities will be left unfunded as a result of this shift in priorities?” Admiral Holsey did not have that information from the Administration, responding: “I can’t answer that ma’am, I’d have to ask the Services.” Duckworth criticized the lack of answers from the Trump Administration, stating: “A lot of unanswered questions.”  Duckworth pointed out during her questioning that a 2016 military construction project to expand the facility’s capacity to 13,000 cost approximately $33 million, and that Guantanamo Bay officials estimated in 2019 that a single guard’s 9-month deployment to the island cost an estimated $100,000, meaning that any effort to hold 30,000 migrants in Guantanamo Bay would cost the taxpayers tens of millions of dollars.

In May, Duckworth voted to advance bipartisan border security legislation—a package that Republicans helped author—that President Trump ultimately killed. Duckworth condemned Senate Republicans for blocking the Senate from even beginning debate on the bipartisan border security legislation that they helped negotiate.

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