Memphis, Tennessee, has found itself at the center of a national debate after President Donald Trump announced plans to send in the National Guard to address crime in the city. The decision, revealed during a Fox News interview on September 12, 2025, marks the latest in a series of controversial federal deployments targeting urban crime, following similar actions in Washington, D.C., and Los Angeles earlier this year.
Memphis Mayor Paul Young, speaking on CNN the day after Trump’s announcement, said he was caught off guard by the news. “No, that was the confirmation,” Young replied when asked if he had received hard confirmation before hearing Trump’s remarks on television. According to the Associated Press, Young had been in discussions with Governor Bill Lee’s office earlier in the week about the possibility of a National Guard deployment, but only learned it was a done deal from the president’s televised interview.
President Trump’s announcement was unequivocal: “We’re going to Memphis. 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,” he said, as reported by Task & Purpose. Trump described Memphis as “deeply troubled” and claimed both Mayor Young and Governor Lee supported the move. “The mayor is happy. He’s a Democrat. And the governor of Tennessee, the governor is happy. We’re gonna fix that just like we did Washington,” Trump said on Fox & Friends.
Yet, Mayor Young has publicly disputed the president’s characterization of his support. At a press conference on September 12, Young clarified that he had not requested the National Guard and was not “happy” about their impending arrival. “We don’t want to invoke those same images here,” Young said, referencing the National Guard’s deployment to Memphis in 1968 following the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr., a period still deeply etched in the city’s memory. “Since the deployment has been decided, I want to drive how they engage in our city,” Young added, signaling a pragmatic approach to the situation.
The specifics of the deployment remain murky. As of September 13, neither the number of troops nor their exact roles had been finalized. Governor Lee’s spokesperson, Elizabeth Lane Johnson, told reporters that the governor and president had discussed the matter on Friday and planned to continue talks the following week. Lee stated the deployment would support an ongoing FBI operation, “Operation Viper,” which has already led to the arrest of hundreds of violent offenders, and would include cooperation among the Tennessee National Guard, FBI, Tennessee Highway Patrol, Memphis Police Department, and other agencies.
Mayor Young suggested that if the National Guard is to be involved, they could be most useful in supporting big events, assisting with traffic, monitoring cameras, calling in backup when criminal activity is spotted, or even helping with neighborhood beautification. “What we need most are financial resources for intervention and prevention, additional patrol officers, and case support to strengthen MPD’s investigations,” Young said in a statement, as reported by People. He emphasized that Memphis had already made measurable progress in reducing crime and that any new initiatives should build on that momentum.
Indeed, recent data from the Memphis Police Department paints a complicated picture. While Trump cited FBI statistics labeling Memphis as having the highest crime rate per 100,000 people, local police reported drops in all major crime categories for the first eight months of 2025 compared with previous years. Overall crime had reached a 25-year low, and the murder rate was at its lowest in six years. However, the city’s struggle with gun violence remains acute; 2023 saw a record 390 homicides, and Memphis is still grappling with the aftermath of Tyre Nichols’ death at the hands of police in January 2023. That incident triggered a Department of Justice investigation, which found civil rights violations—findings that the Trump administration later withdrew in May 2025.
The broader context of National Guard deployments under the Trump administration adds further complexity. Since June, thousands of National Guardsmen have been mobilized in cities like Los Angeles and Washington, D.C., in response to protests, immigration raids, and claims of rising crime. In Los Angeles, more than 4,000 troops were placed under federal control, with some providing security for federal law enforcement during raids. However, a federal judge ruled that using troops for law enforcement violated the Posse Comitatus Act—a decision the White House has appealed. In Washington, D.C., troops from seven states have been patrolling public spaces, even after the federal emergency order expired on September 10, 2025. The District of Columbia National Guard is set to remain active through November, with Georgia recently sending additional troops to relieve existing units.
Plans for similar deployments are being discussed elsewhere. The Washington Post reported on a Pentagon draft plan to send 1,000 National Guard troops to urban centers in Louisiana, including New Orleans and Baton Rouge, if Governor Jeff Landry requests federal assistance. As of mid-September, no such request had been made, and local officials have expressed mixed feelings. New Orleans Representative Troy Carter, a Democrat, argued that the city’s crime rates are at historic lows and that there is no emergency justifying a military presence. Meanwhile, Alexandria Mayor Jacques Roy suggested that more resources could make a difference, noting the proximity of a National Guard installation to his city.
Back in Memphis, the uncertainty surrounding the deployment has left many residents uneasy. The city’s majority-Black population is acutely aware of the National Guard’s fraught history in Tennessee, from enforcing school integration in Clinton in 1956 to responding to natural disasters and protests. Mayor Young acknowledged these concerns, emphasizing the need for transparency and community engagement as details are finalized.
For now, the city waits for answers. The exact timing, scope, and mission of the National Guard’s involvement remain in flux. Both supporters and critics of the move are watching closely, aware that the outcome could set a precedent for federal intervention in local policing across the country.
As negotiations between state and federal officials continue, Memphis stands at a crossroads—caught between its recent progress in reducing crime and the specter of a militarized response. The coming weeks will reveal whether the National Guard’s presence will help or hinder the city’s efforts to build a safer, more just future.
