National Guard Ramps Up Virus Effort as Trump Waives State Costs
- Trump’s move frees up resources for three hardest-hit states
- Guard has 7,300 troops nationwide working to aid containment
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The National Guard ramped up its role in containing the coronavirus in the U.S., with 7,300 troops deployed across the country to combat the outbreak as President Donald Trump ordered new force activations to aid California, New York and Washington state.
The president’s order on Sunday will waive the typical cost-sharing arrangement where the federal government pays 75% of the costs and states pay the remaining 25%. The move affects the three states most impacted by the virus so far but could quickly be extended to other states, said General Joseph Lengyel, the chief of the National Guard Bureau.