Sen. Jeff Merkley calls for CBO estimate of troop-deployment costs, warns of 'authoritarian takeover'

Sen. Jeff Merkley warned in recorded remarks that President Trump is following what he called an "authoritarian playbook," and said he will use his budget-committee authority to ask the Congressional Budget Office for a cost estimate of deploying federal troops to U.S. cities.

Merkley said, "I'm ringing alarm bells about Trump's authoritarian takeover here in America. He has an authoritarian playbook, and he's following every one of the major rules in that playbook," adding that the pattern began with "firing the referees, the inspector generals." He said the administration has moved to "put loyalists in charge of departments rather than experts and capable individuals."

Merkley named cities he said had seen deployments or attempts at deployments: "He's done so in LA. He's done so in Washington, DC. He's done so in Chicago, and he's certainly trying to do so in Portland, Oregon." He described those deployments as "coming at massive cost to you," and said: "As a top Democrat on the budget committee, I'm using that authority to require the Congressional Budget Office to give this the answer. How much is all of this costing America?"

The remarks in the transcript contain assertions by Merkley about personnel changes and troop deployments but do not themselves include responses, supporting evidence, or a formal committee vote on a request to the CBO. The transcript records Merkley stating an intention to seek a CBO estimate; it does not show the office of the CBO responding or a formal committee directive being adopted during this exchange.

Merkley concluded the remarks with an appeal to defenders of democratic norms: "Let's keep ringing the alarm bells and defend our freedom and our constitution. Say no to kings in The United States Of America."