Federal, State Officials Discuss National Guard Deployment Memphis Crime

Discussions are underway among local, state, and federal officials about deploying the National Guard to Memphis to address the city's high crime rates, making it the latest city targeted by the administration for such action. President Trump has publicly mentioned Memphis as a potential site for National Guard deployment, citing success in Washington, D.C., where troops have been stationed for about a month. Despite an 11% decrease in overall crime rates in 2024 compared to the previous year, Memphis still leads the nation's 40 largest cities in crime statistics, prompting these considerations. Mayor Paul Young has briefed city council members and business leaders to prepare for the possible arrival of the National Guard, while Tennessee Governor Bill Lee has stated that "everything is possible, and nothing is off the table." However, some local leaders, like Congressman Steve Cohen, oppose the idea, warning that a federal presence could harm Memphis's reputation and do more harm than good. The National Guard's deployment authority varies by state, but under certain conditions, the president can federalize state guards, as seen previously in California and Washington, D.C.