Trump Plans National Guard Deployment to Memphis Following D.C. Crime Response

President Donald Trump announced plans to deploy federal law enforcement and the National Guard to Memphis, Tennessee, to address rising crime, following a similar deployment in Washington, D.C. Trump stated that both Memphis Mayor Paul Young and Tennessee Governor Bill Lee support the intervention, although some local officials, including Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris, have criticized the move as anti-democratic and a threat to civil liberties. The President expressed a preference for deploying forces to Chicago but pivoted to Memphis after facing resistance from Chicago's Democratic leaders. Legal experts have raised concerns about the use of the military in civil law enforcement, which is generally prohibited under federal law. Trump emphasized the success of the Washington, D.C. operation and suggested that military resources might also be used if necessary in Memphis. Public opinion appears divided, with a CBS News/YouGov poll showing a majority opposing National Guard deployments to cities for crime control.