MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE – In a move that has ignited a fierce political firestorm, President Trump announced that he is deploying the National Guard to Memphis, Tennessee, to address what he called a “deeply troubled” crime situation. The announcement, made during a Friday morning interview on Fox News, marks the latest expansion of the president’s “law and order” agenda and his third use of the military to crack down on crime in a U.S. city since taking office.
The deployment to Memphis follows similar actions in Los Angeles and Washington D.C., and it is the first time Trump has mobilized the National Guard to a state he won in the November election. The decision, however, has drawn a sharp rebuke from local officials. While Tennessee Governor Bill Lee, a Republican, has been in “constant communication” with the White House and supports the move, Memphis Mayor Paul Young, a Democrat, has forcefully pushed back. “I did not ask for the National Guard, and I don’t think it’s the way to drive down crime,” Young said during a press conference. He added that while the troops “are coming” regardless, his office would work to ensure their presence “truly benefits and strengthens our community.” The governor’s office, meanwhile, framed the deployment as a partnership with the FBI and local law enforcement to build on a successful ongoing operation.
Trump’s announcement comes despite recent data from the Memphis Police Department showing that crime in the city has reached a 25-year low, with all major categories down in the first eight months of 2025. The city has seen a 22% drop in total crime since 2023’s peak and a six-year low in murders. However, the city continues to grapple with a high violent crime rate, and prominent Republicans, including Tennessee’s U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn, have called on the president to “Make Memphis Safe Again.”
For now, the details of the mission remain unclear, including the number of troops to be deployed and the duration of their presence. Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris is even exploring legal options to stop the deployment. As the city braces for the arrival of troops, the debate over federal overreach and the appropriate use of military force in domestic policing has been reignited, putting Memphis at the center of a national political battle.