Memphis to Receive National Guard Deployment, Trump Announces
MEMPHIS, TN – President Trump announced Friday that Memphis will be the next U.S. city to receive National Guard troops, citing the city as “deeply troubled.” The decision comes as the administration continues to grapple with rising crime rates in several major metropolitan areas.
Trump stated he had “preferred going to Chicago,” but ultimately chose memphis for the deployment, offering no specific details regarding timing or the scope of the operation. FBI data indicates Memphis recorded over 300 homicides last year.
Memphis Mayor jim Strickland expressed that he did not request the national Guard and does not believe it is the optimal approach to reducing crime. Though, he affirmed his commitment to ensuring the deployment “truly benefits and strengthens our community.” He noted the last major National Guard deployment in Memphis occurred following the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. in 1968, stating, “We don’t want to invoke those same images here.”
Strickland previously communicated with the trump administration regarding federal support for the city’s police department,emphasizing the need for “financial resources for intervention and prevention,additional patrol officers,and case support to strengthen investigations.” He highlighted that Memphis is already demonstrating “measurable progress in bringing down crime.”
The announcement follows a 30-day period where Trump took charge of Washington D.C.’s Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) and activated the National Guard,wich expired earlier this week. The White House reported hundreds of arrests during that time, and Trump has claimed D.C. is now “virtually crime free,” despite troops remaining in the city to assist with tasks like trash collection and landscaping.
The use of the National Guard in law enforcement roles has faced legal challenges. A recent court ruling deemed Trump’s deployment of National Guard troops to Los angeles earlier this year unlawful, though the ruling was specific to that deployment.
