Trump Announces National Guard Deployment to Memphis to Combat Crime
Trump Announces National Guard Deployment to Memphis to Combat Crime
Former President Donald Trump, during his time in office, announced plans to deploy federal law enforcement and the National Guard to Memphis, Tennessee, to address the city’s crime rate. This move followed a similar surge of federal forces into Washington, D.C., which Trump claimed had significantly reduced crime.
Speaking on Fox News’ “Fox and Friends” in New York, Trump stated, “We’re going to Memphis. Memphis is deeply troubled.” He indicated that both the Memphis mayor and Tennessee governor were supportive of the initiative. He also mentioned considering similar actions for New Orleans and Chicago, frequently citing the latter’s crime rate.
Trump revealed his decision to focus on Memphis came after a board member from FedEx, headquartered in the city, brought up the crime concerns. He affirmed, “I’m just announcing that now, and we’ll straighten that out — National Guard and anybody else we need. And by the way, we’ll bring in the military, too, if we need it.”
While FBI data showed violent crimes in Memphis had hovered between 15,000 and 16,000 annually over five years, marking an increase from a decade prior, local police data indicated a decline in violent crime in the two years preceding Trump’s announcement. A Memphis Police Department statement noted that overall crime was at a 25-year low, with specific crimes like murder, aggravated assault, and sexual assault also reaching multi-year lows.
Republican Governor Bill Lee expressed gratitude for Trump’s support and confirmed ongoing discussions with the administration to develop a multi-phased strategy. This strategy was expected to involve the Tennessee National Guard, FBI, Tennessee Highway Patrol, Memphis Police Department, and other agencies.
However, the announcement met with some local opposition. Jerri Green, a Memphis City councilwoman, criticized the deployment as “unnecessary and wasteful,” arguing that it fails to address the root causes of crime. Pastor Keith Norman of First Baptist Church Broad in Memphis called the move “an overreach,” citing historical trauma associated with previous National Guard deployments in 1968 and 1978.
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