President Trump Announces National Guard Deployment to Memphis to Address Crime

President Donald Trump announced plans on Friday to deploy the National Guard to Memphis, Tennessee, as part of his administration's efforts to address crime in U.S. cities. Speaking on Fox News, Trump described Memphis as "deeply troubled" and stated, "We're going to fix that just like we did Washington." He indicated that the deployment would include the National Guard and potentially the military if necessary.

The president mentioned that both Tennessee Governor Bill Lee, a Republican, and Memphis Mayor Paul Young, a Democrat, support the decision. "The mayor is happy, and the governor is happy," Trump said.

Memphis has experienced a decline in crime rates over the past year. As of September 11, 2025, the city reported 29,978 crime incidents, a 44% decrease from the same period in 2024. Homicides also dropped nearly 30%, with 182 incidents reported in 2025 compared to 261 the previous year.

This move follows previous National Guard deployments to Los Angeles and Washington, D.C., as part of the administration's initiative to combat crime in various cities.

Local officials have expressed mixed reactions. Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris voiced concerns about the deployment, stating, "Mr. President, no one here is 'happy.' Not happy at all with occupation, armored vehicles, semi-automatic weapons, and military personnel in fatigues."

The timeline for the National Guard's arrival in Memphis has not been specified.