Memphis Mayor Paul Young said Saturday that President Donald Trump’s television interview was the first hard confirmation he received that the National Guard would be sent to the city as part of a federal anti-crime effort.
Young told CNN he had been informed earlier in the week by the office of Republican Gov. Bill Lee that the idea was under consideration and that discussions continued with state and federal partners about increasing law enforcement presence. "No, that was the confirmation," Young said when asked whether he had received a firm notice before Trump’s Friday appearance on Fox News, in which the president called Memphis "deeply troubled" and said, "we're going to fix that just like we did Washington."
City officials and law enforcement have reported recent declines in major crime categories. Memphis police said overall crime reached a 25-year low in the first eight months of 2025 and that murders fell to a six-year low, though the city continues to grapple with persistent gun violence after a record 390 homicides in 2023.
Memphis also remains affected by fallout from the January 2023 death of Tyre Nichols, who was beaten by Memphis police officers. A Department of Justice review announced under President Joe Biden in December 2023 found civil rights violations in the police department, citing excessive force, illegal traffic stops and disproportionate targeting of Black residents. The Justice Department withdrew its findings in May after the change in administrations.
Young said key details of the National Guard deployment — including how many troops would be sent, their timeline and their specific roles — were still unresolved and that he expected more information next week after further discussions between the governor and the president. Elizabeth Lane Johnson, a spokesperson for Gov. Lee, said the governor and the president spoke Friday and planned additional talks early the coming week.
Lee has said the guard would be part of an effort to add momentum to an ongoing FBI operation that he said has already arrested hundreds of "the most violent offenders." Young has discussed with state and federal officials other ways to bolster security, including increased work with the FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
The mayor disputed the president’s assertion that he was "happy" about the deployment, saying he did not request troops and does not believe a Guard presence by itself will reduce crime. "I'm not happy about the president's announcement," Young said, while also acknowledging the city has "remained high on too many 'bad lists.'" He said, given the decision, city leaders want to "drive how they engage in our city," and suggested potential Guard roles could include traffic support at large events, monitoring camera feeds and calling in law enforcement backup, or assisting with neighborhood cleanup and "beautification." Young cautioned against invoking historical images, noting the Guard’s 1968 deployment to Memphis after the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr.
The National Guard has a varied history of domestic deployments, including enforcing school integration in Clinton, Tennessee, in 1956 and responding to natural disasters, public health missions and large gatherings. Guard troops have been used in recent years for border missions, administrative support for federal immigration work, and federal crime-focused operations, and were deployed to Washington earlier this month as part of a crime-focused effort that included about 2,000 troops from seven states and the District of Columbia. Unlike the District’s force, which is under the president’s direct command, state National Guards are controlled by governors, and it remains unclear whether out-of-state troops would be part of any Memphis deployment.
A draft plan in Louisiana obtained by The Washington Post calls for activating 1,000 National Guard troops in New Orleans and other urban centers if Republican Gov. Jeff Landry requests federal assistance. Rep. Troy Carter, a Democrat representing the New Orleans area, said the city is experiencing its lowest crime rates in decades and warned against what he described as unnecessary militarization of the streets. Alexandria Mayor Jacques Roy said additional resources "could make a real difference," noting proximity to a Guard installation at Camp Beauregard.
In Washington, a continued heavy presence of Guard troops persists in many public spaces despite the lapse of a formal emergency order when Congress did not extend it. Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser has acknowledged a longer-term role for federal law enforcement performing work typically handled locally and has established an operations center to coordinate federal and Metropolitan Police activities. Federal agents, including Homeland Security Investigations and the FBI, have worked alongside local police at recent events such as high school football games.
Young said he understands community concern about the optics and historical resonance of uniformed troops on city streets and expressed a desire for local leaders to shape how any Guard personnel are used. He said the city will continue pressing for clarity from state and federal officials and for coordination that respects community needs while pursuing public safety goals.
