Trump signs order to deploy National Guard to Memphis, says DC-style crackdown on crime coming to Tennessee
The Democratic Mayor Paul Young-led city is the second to face a crackdown by the Trump administration in the name of crime, following similar tactics followed in Washington DC.
September 16, 2025 05:57 AM IST
First published on: Sep 16, 2025 at 05:57 AM IST
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President Donald Trump signs a memorandum titled "Restoring Law and Order in Memphis" and Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee look on in the Oval Office of the White House. (AP Photo)
US President Donald Trump, joined by Tennessee’s Republican Governor Bill Lee, on Monday signed an executive order to deploy the National Guard in Memphis in order to combat crime, offering another major test of the limits of presidential powers by sending military personnel to American cities.
Trump said National Guards would be deployed in Memphis and the personnel will join a special task force in the city which would comprise of officials from multiple federal agencies, including the FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration, Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the US Marshal’s service.
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The Democratic Mayor Paul Young-led city is the second to face a crackdown by the Trump administration in the name of crime, following similar tactics followed in Washington DC. Trump said the goal to send the National Guard in Memphis would be to stamp out crime and federalize local police forces as implemented in Washington DC.
“This task force will be a replica of our extraordinarily successful efforts here. And, you’ll see it’s a lot of the same thing,” Trump said of the District of Columbia. However, the presidential memorandum Trump signed did not include details on when troops would be deployed or what his promised surge in law enforcement would look like.
Memphis Mayor Paul Young voiced his opposition against the troops deployment, saying the crime rate in the city is already plunging without even the federal intervention.
Tennessee Governor Bill Lee’s spokesperson Elizabeth Lane Johnson said, “Planning is currently underway, and we will continue to work closely with federal and local partners to determine the most effective path forward.”
The Trump administration has reportedly shelved its similar plans for Chicago after opposition from local and state officials. However, the president on Monday said Memphis is “overrun” with carjackings, robberies and shootings, as well as other crimes.
Trump said the FBI is already working on an increased activity in Memphis, which is majority Black and Tennessee’s second-largest city.
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President Donald Trump signs a memorandum titled "Restoring Law and Order in Memphis" and Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee look on in the Oval Office of the White House. (AP Photo) 
