The National Guard is planning to stick around D.C. through January 2029 at a cost of $1.4 billion, per Pentagon budget estimates.

Why it matters: It's the clearest accounting yet of what it'd take to keep thousands of troops on city streets, while critics question whether taxpayer funds can be spent more efficiently on public safety.

The big picture: A year after President Trump's deployment, the sight of federal troops huddling on street corners or patrolling in sixes has become a part of daily life in Washington.

• Their numbers surged this summer to 4,622 as of Monday, with large contingents from Republican-led states like Georgia (800 troops) and South Carolina (492).
• And they're moving into new short-term rentals in neighborhoods like Dupont Circle, which officials say cost about half as much as hotels. Even so, housing is projected to cost about $4,055 a month per troop.

By the numbers: The Pentagon is requesting about $605 million to cover pay, travel allowances, and operation costs for fiscal 2027, per documents shared with Axios by Sen. Elizabeth Warren's office, after the Washington Post broke the news.

• That includes $626 million for 2028 and an additional $198 million until Trump leaves office on Jan. 20, 2029.
• Those estimates assume the average size of the force shrinks to roughly 2,500 after this summer's 250th anniversary events conclude.

Flashback: Much of the original backlash to the deployment was that it would normalize the "use of military troops for domestic law enforcement," as D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb argued in an ongoing lawsuit against the Trump administration.

Friction point: While Trump officials have defended the Guard's presence as necessary to deter crime, Niskanen Center researchers have said that the deployment isn't what reduced violent crime over the last year.

• Researchers argued in May there are cheaper ways to fight crime, like investing that money in policing instead.

What they're saying: Guard members have responded to about 800 medical emergencies, said Brig. Gen. Leland Blanchard, the head of the D.C. National Guard, per the Post.

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A goat is riding Metro — and no, we're not talking about G.O.A.T. Randy Clarke.

Why it matters: A viral police encounter involving D.C.'s most famous goat — aka Bob — has turned an ordinary Metro policy into the internet's latest debate.

Driving the news: Videos circulated Monday showing Bob's owner — a content creator who goes by @kynobap — being physically detained by Metro Transit Police outside the Navy Yard station, prompting a flood of online speculation:

• "Why would they arrest him?!"
• "Ok to bring a goat/mattress on Metro?"
• "What if the goat identifies as a service dog?"

Zoom in: Metro spokespersons tell Axios the man in the video was detained because officers were looking for him as part of an investigation by a partner agency — not because of the goat or any Metro infraction.

• He was later released.
• @kynobap didn't return Axios' request for comment. But the creator wrote in an Instagram story, "I didn't get arrested."

Yes, but: Metro policy prohibits riders from bringing an "unconfined animal" aboard trains or buses.

• The exceptions? Service animals, including dogs and — fun fact — miniature horses (but not goats that identify as service horses).

The big picture: Bob is already a bona fide celebri-goat.

• Besides riding Metro, he's amassed a herd of followers trotting around town, posing with celebrities like Ray J, sampling viral oxtail pizza and — very on trend — posing with National Guard troops.

What we're watching: Whether Bob's next Metro ride is his last — or just the beginning for WMATA's unofficial mascot.

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The husband of a D.C. hit-and-run victim — Dawn Ciccone, 61, who worked for PBS Kids — gave such emotional testimony during a court hearing Monday that the judge paused for a break. A suspect is charged with involuntary manslaughter tied to the incident on L Street in April. (NBC4)

🌻 There's a backstory to the Dupont deckover project: Sixty years ago, a woman named Lily Spandorf imagined a charming park in place of the underpass, drawing out a sketch that she titled, "Connecticut Avenue Mall." She passed away in 2017, but her vision is expected to become reality next year when D.C. opens the plaza. (WaPo)

🗳️ In Virginia, Democrats last night picked nominees they hope will flip two U.S. House seats in November, seen as key for the party retaking the chamber. (NBC4)

What's a Washington-style bagel? It doesn't exist. But Bagel Uprising — a local favorite that just opened a second shop in Ballston — may be close.

Why it matters: "Everyone says it's the water" that makes a good bagel, co-owner Chad Breckinridge tells Axios. "But it's the people."

Dig in: Breckinridge, a former FCC lawyer who started rolling bagels in his home kitchen more than a decade ago, has teamed up with Air Force veteran Justin Silverman to open the new Ballston shop.

• The pair bonded over homemade bagels, babka and challah, which the menu showcases: Breckinridge's boiled-and-baked bagels alongside Silverman's breads and pastries.

The vibe: Less hype, more homemade.

• Ballston is becoming a bagel destination, with chains Call Your Mother and PopUp Bagels opening nearby. But Bagel Uprising leans into a simpler approach.
• Think breakfast sandwiches, Ivy City lox bagels and lunch options like the "Del Rey-chel" with turkey, Swiss, caraway slaw and special sauce.

What they're saying: "You can get decision fatigue with a million things," Breckinridge tells Axios. "There's a simplicity to the approach here."

Yes, but: You'll still find fun twists, including kicky cilantro-jalapeño cream cheese, a housemade vegan schmear and a massive breakfast bagel stacked with egg, ham, hash browns and American cheese.

Coming soon: Silverman, who started baking to relax while in the Air Force, will soon add chocolate babka, whole and mini challah loaves, and challah sandwiches to the menu.

More new bagel shops in the DMV

Bao Li turned 5 with a shark-themed "bearthday" bash at the National Zoo yesterday.

🦈 Why sharks? Keepers say the strip of longer fur down his back resembles a fin, inspiring the frozen fruitsicle cake.

🎂 Cutest moment: Bao Li removed the sweet potato "minnows," blueberry "bubbles" and other edible decorations before digging into the cake — then cooled off by cuddling it against his belly.