President Donald Trump has announced plans to deploy the National Guard to Memphis, Tennessee, to fight rising crime in the city. He said during a Fox News interview, “We’re going to Memphis, we’ll straighten that out.” Trump also threatened to bring in the military if necessary to restore safety in cities that are “deeply troubled.”
Trump claimed that both Memphis Mayor Paul Young (a Democrat) and Tennessee Governor Bill Lee (a Republican) back the decision. While Lee affirmed cooperation with federal and state law enforcement agencies, Mayor Young later clarified he never requested the Guard and expressed reservations about whether military deployment is the right path forward.
Governor Lee indicated the operation will involve the Tennessee National Guard, the FBI, the Tennessee Highway Patrol, Memphis police, and other relevant law enforcement bodies. This coordinated effort reflects the broader crime crackdown strategy that Trump has promoted since deploying troops or Guard units to other U.S. cities like Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, and potentially Chicago.