President Trump revealed during an interview on “Fox and Friends” that he plans to deploy National Guard troops to Memphis, Tennessee, citing the city’s severe safety issues. “We’re going to Memphis,” Trump stated, describing it as “deeply troubled.” He compared the situation to Washington, D.C., where similar measures were taken.
Earlier speculation had suggested Chicago might be the target, but Trump shifted focus to Memphis, expressing a preference for Chicago while claiming he received advice from an unnamed Union Pacific railroad executive. The president alleged the executive warned that Memphis’s unsafe conditions required armored vehicles for even brief outings.
Trump also hinted at potential military involvement if needed. Supporters praised the move, with Newsmax host Todd Starnes applauding the decision to “save our city from gangbangers and thugs,” and Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) celebrating the effort to restore order in “Democrat-run cities.”
Memphis, a city of 611,000 along the Mississippi River, faces one of the nation’s highest violent crime rates and over 24% poverty, according to federal data. Federal agents previously intervened in Memphis during Trump’s first term. The president also mentioned possible deployments to New Orleans, another Democratic-leaning city, while delaying National Guard actions in Chicago.
Trump has increasingly framed crime as a national crisis, recently placing Washington’s police department under federal control and deploying law enforcement to patrol the capital.