President Donald Trump is moving forward with his pledge to deploy the National Guard to Memphis to confront rising crime. Speaking from the Oval Office, the President confirmed that the focus has shifted away from Chicago—for now.
Trump signed an order Monday authorizing National Guard troops to be sent into Memphis, describing the effort as “a replica of our extraordinarily successful operation” in Washington, D.C. He was joined by Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee, and Tennessee’s two Republican US Senators, Marsha Blackburn, and Bill Hagerty.
Several administration officials stood alongside the President, including Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, Attorney General Pam Bondi, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, FBI Director Kash Patel.
Trump emphasized that both state and city leaders support the move, noting that “the mayor is happy” and “the governor is happy.” The city’s mayor is a Democrat, while the governor is a Republican.
The President has called Memphis “deeply troubled” and vowed to “fix that just like we did Washington,” pointing to his earlier decision to send Guard troops and boost federal law enforcement in the nation’s capital.
