Memphis, Tennessee, is set to become the next city in the United States where President Donald Trump will deploy National Guard troops as part of his ongoing initiative to combat crime in Democrat-led cities. This announcement was made during a comprehensive interview on Fox News Channel's Fox and Friends on Friday, where Trump indicated that both the mayor of Memphis, a Democrat, and the state's Republican governor are supportive of this decision.
The forthcoming deployment to Memphis signifies an escalation in the president's utilization of military resources for law enforcement. This move comes approximately one month after Trump sent the National Guard to the streets of Washington, D.C.. According to data from the FBI, Memphis has one of the highest crime rates in the nation, with an alarming 2,501 violent crimes reported per 100,000 residents. “We’re going to Memphis,” Trump stated, although he did not provide specific details regarding the timeline for troop arrival.
Trump has expressed a desire not only to address the crime situation in Memphis but also to lower crime rates in other major cities, including New Orleans and Chicago. For weeks, speculation has surrounded whether he would send troops to Chicago as part of his Operation Midway Blitz, which focuses on immigration enforcement. On Friday, Trump seemed to confirm his choice of Memphis over Chicago, stating, “I would have preferred going to Chicago.”
The mayor of Memphis, Paul Young, has not responded to a request for comment from the BBC regarding Trump's announcement. However, earlier in the week, Young released a statement indicating that he had been in discussions with the Trump administration about securing federal support for the city's police department. “What we need most are financial resources for intervention and prevention, additional patrol officers, and case support to strengthen investigations,” Young mentioned. He emphasized that Memphis is already making tangible progress in reducing crime and supports initiatives that will expedite the efforts of police officers, community partners, and residents.
On August 11, Trump took control of Washington D.C.'s Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) and activated the National Guard. This takeover was initially set for 30 days, which recently expired. During that period, hundreds of arrests were reported, and Trump claimed that D.C. is now “virtually crime-free.” Despite this, National Guard troops are expected to remain in the capital for the foreseeable future, assisting with various tasks, including trash collection and mulching.
Since the deployment in D.C., Trump has also threatened to send the National Guard to cities like Baltimore, Chicago, and New Orleans. The use of National Guard troops to bolster law enforcement efforts has raised eyebrows among legal experts, with concerns about the military's role in civilian law enforcement. A recent court ruling declared Trump's earlier deployment of National Guard troops to Los Angeles unlawful; however, it stated that this ruling does not extend to troops deployed elsewhere.
