National Guard Troops to Deploy in Memphis as Trump Expands Crackdown

Sat Sep 13 2025 14:17:52 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

President Trump announced the deployment of National Guard troops to Memphis, Tennessee, in an effort to combat rising crime rates. The decision comes as part of his ongoing strategy targeting Democrat-led cities, despite local officials expressing concerns.

During an interview on Fox News, President Trump declared that Memphis will be the next U.S. city to receive National Guard troops, citing escalating crime rates. While he mentioned that both the city's mayor and the state's governor support the decision, local authorities are unsure about the effectiveness of military presence in reducing crime. Memphis has one of the highest violent crime rates in the country, with ongoing debates about the appropriateness of deploying troops for such issues.

Memphis in Tennessee will be the next US city where Donald Trump sends National Guard troops as part of his ongoing crackdown in Democrat-led cities.

The US president made the announcement during a wide-ranging interview on Fox News on Friday, claiming the city's mayor, a Democrat, was happy about the decision, as was the state's governor, who is a Republican.

The deployment to Memphis would mark an escalation in Trump's use of troops and comes roughly a month after he sent the National Guard to the streets of Washington DC.

Memphis has one of the highest rates of crime in the US, with 2,501 violent crimes per 100,000 people, FBI data shows.

We're going to Memphis, Trump said, without specifying when troops would arrive. Memphis is deeply troubled.

He added that he also wanted to address crime in New Orleans, Baltimore, and Chicago.

The country has been wondering for weeks if he would deploy troops to Chicago, as his immigration enforcement operation ramps up. Trump indicated a preference for sending soldiers to Chicago, saying, I would have preferred going to Chicago instead of Memphis.

However, Memphis Mayor Paul Young stated in a news conference that he did not request the National Guard and expressed skepticism about its effectiveness in reducing crime. Young emphasized his desire for a strategic deployment that benefits the community.

Earlier this week, Young communicated with the Trump administration about federal support for the city's police department, stressing the need for financial resources, additional patrol officers, and support for investigations.

On August 11, Trump took control of Washington DC's Metropolitan Police Department and activated the National Guard. This takeover, which lasted for 30 days, concluded this week, with reports of hundreds of arrests made during that period.

The use of the National Guard to assist law enforcement has faced legal scrutiny, particularly concerning the appropriateness of military presence in civilian contexts. A recent court ruling found Trump’s deployment of National Guard troops in Los Angeles unlawful, but clarified that the ruling did not extend to other deployments.