Trump Sending National Guard to Memphis

President Trump said Friday he plans to deploy the National Guard and other federal resources to Memphis, Tenn., as part of a crackdown on crime.

“We’re going to Memphis. Memphis is deeply troubled,” Trump said on “Fox & Friends.”

“And the mayor is happy. He’s a Democrat mayor. The mayor is happy. And the governor, Tennessee, the governor is happy,” Trump added.

Trump said he would deploy the “National Guard and anybody else we need. And by the way, we’ll bring in the military too, if we need it.”

Memphis had the highest crime rate per 100,000 people, based on FBI data from 2024.

Memphis Mayor Paul Young (D) had said Thursday that he was informed earlier in the week that Trump and Gov. Bill Lee (R) were considering deploying the National Guard in the city.

“I am committed to working to ensure any efforts strengthen our community and build on our progress,” Young said in a statement to WMCA in Memphis.

Young’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Trump’s Friday remarks.

Rep. David Kustoff (R-Tenn.), who represents part of Memphis, welcomed Trump’s announcement.

“It is important for the long term success in Memphis to have additional and permanent federal law enforcement officers and agents who can work in conjunction with state and local officials,” Kustoff said in a statement. “I will continue to work with the White House to secure these important resources.“

Trump said he “would have preferred” sending federal law enforcement into Chicago, something he had mused about for weeks. But city and state officials there had aggressively pushed back, raising the prospect of a drawn-out legal battle over a National Guard deployment.

The president last month surged federal law enforcement and deployed the National Guard across Washington, D.C. Crime has been down across the District, though many residents have expressed their displeasure and raised concerns that immigration arrests have been a central part of the crackdown. National Guard troops have also been tasked with picking up garbage and beautifying the city.

The White House also took over control of the District’s police department, though that move lapsed this week after 30 days. White House officials have pointed to a measure signed by D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) that ensures indefinite cooperation between the city and the federal government.