President Donald Trump announced plans to deploy National Guard troops to Memphis, Tennessee, in an effort to address the city’s crime issues. This decision follows a similar move in Washington, D.C., where federal control was implemented last month.
Despite a decrease in violent crime rates in many cities, Trump has made crime a focal point of his administration. His actions against Democrat-led cities have sparked protests, including a recent demonstration in Washington.
In an interview with Fox News, Trump stated, “We’re going to Memphis. Memphis is deeply troubled. We’re going to fix that, just like we did Washington.” The deployment was confirmed by Memphis Mayor Paul Young, a Democrat, who expressed reservations about the use of the National Guard to combat crime.
Tennessee Governor Bill Lee, a Republican, affirmed the upcoming deployment and mentioned plans to discuss mission details with the president. Memphis, with a population of 611,000, faces high violent crime rates and significant poverty levels compared to the national average.
The U.S. Justice Department had previously sent federal agents to assist in combating crime in Memphis during Trump’s first term. Trump also hinted at the possibility of sending federal personnel to New Orleans, another Democratic-leaning city. Despite threats, no National Guard deployment has occurred in Chicago so far.
Trump’s actions aim to address crime issues in American cities, with a particular focus on Washington. Recent measures include placing the capital city’s police department under federal control and deploying federal law enforcement personnel, resulting in a decrease in violent crime rates.
Overall, Trump’s decision to send National Guard troops to Memphis reflects his administration’s approach to tackling crime in cities across the United States.
