On Friday, President Donald Trump revealed plans to send the National Guard to Memphis, Tennessee, just one month after he had federalized law enforcement in Washington, D.C. and deployed soldiers throughout the city to combat rising crime rates. During an appearance on Fox News, Trump described Memphis as a "deeply troubled" city in need of immediate assistance.
Trump stated that both the Republican Governor of Tennessee, Bill Lee, and the Democratic Mayor of Memphis, Paul Young, were supportive of his decision to send the National Guard to the city. "We're going to fix the city's troubles," Trump declared, drawing a parallel between the situation in Memphis and the measures taken in Washington, D.C., where he previously deployed troops to address similar issues.
The president revealed that his initiative to prioritize Memphis was influenced by Jim Vena, the CEO of Union Pacific Railroad. Vena, who is also a former board member at FedEx—a company headquartered in Memphis—stepped down from the board in 2023 when he took on his current role at Union Pacific. Trump noted that Vena had described the safety challenges in Memphis, stating he needed to use an armored vehicle with bulletproof glass to navigate just one block in the city.
In addition to Memphis, Trump mentioned that Vena had suggested other cities such as St. Louis, Missouri, and Chicago as possible candidates for National Guard deployment. The president has previously indicated intentions to send troops to Chicago, despite strong opposition from the city's mayor and the governor of Illinois.
Trump did not provide specific details regarding the legal framework that the White House would use to justify the deployment of soldiers in Memphis or other cities. The administration is currently facing legal challenges; Washington, D.C., has sued Trump over the deployment of troops in the capital, claiming that the president has overstepped his constitutional authority. This lawsuit followed a recent federal judge's ruling that blocked the deployment of the National Guard in Los Angeles.
During his interview, Trump expressed confidence in the legal battles surrounding the National Guard's deployment, particularly criticizing California Governor Gavin Newsom. “We think we’re going to win all of them,” Trump asserted, emphasizing his belief that the administration's actions would ultimately be upheld in court.
As President Trump moves forward with his plans, the deployment of the National Guard to Memphis is poised to be a significant development in the ongoing dialogue about public safety and federal intervention in local matters.
