President Donald Trump announced Friday he will deploy National Guard resources and federal agents to Memphis, Tennessee, and New Orleans, Louisiana.
The move follows the administration’s takeover of police resources in Washington, D.C., and a surge of federal agents sent to Chicago for deportation and crime-fighting operations.
Trump made the announcement during an in-studio interview with Fox & Friends.
Donald Trump
“We’re going to Memphis. Memphis is deeply troubled,” he said.
“We’re gonna fix that just like we did Washington.”
Crime in Memphis
Memphis has one of the nation’s highest violent crime rates.
FBI statistics show 2,501 violent crimes per 100,000 residents.
In 2023, Shelby County recorded 40.9 homicides per 100,000 people, the steepest increase among large urban counties.
The president did not provide a timetable for the deployment.
He said federal resources will also focus on Baltimore and New Orleans.
But for now, he chose Memphis as the priority city.
National Guard and Marine personnel are already assisting in Los Angeles.
They were first deployed to support ICE agents after violent unrest earlier this year.
Trump said the strategy will expand to other cities facing spikes in crime.
Mayor’s Response
Memphis Mayor Paul Young confirmed discussions about the Guard’s role.
Memphis Mayor Paul Young
He said he learned of the final decision during Trump’s television appearance.
“I didn’t ask for the National Guard and I don’t think it’s the way to drive down crime,” Young said.
Despite his concerns, Young said he will cooperate.
He pledged to work with federal officials to ensure the deployment “truly benefits and strengthens our community.”
The mayor emphasized that long-term crime reduction requires more than military presence.
D.C. Precedent
The decision comes after Trump’s federal takeover of Washington, D.C.
Hundreds of agents and Guard personnel were dispatched to the capital.
The move was initially set to expire after 30 days.
Since the federal deployment, carjackings in D.C. have dropped 87 percent.
All other major crime categories have also seen sharp declines.
Mayor Muriel Bowser has said she may support making parts of the takeover permanent.
Trump celebrated the results in a post on Truth Social.
“Carjacking in DC is down 87%. ALL other categories of crime are likewise down massively since I got involved,” he wrote.
“DC will soon be a CRIME FREE ZONE, in only 14 days.”
