President Donald Trump announced Friday that he will send the National Guard to Memphis to help address crime concerns, continuing his use of military forces in U.S. cities.
Speaking on Fox News, Trump called Memphis "deeply troubled" and said the mayor and governor were "happy" about the pending deployment. Mayor Paul Young, a Democrat who leads a majority-Black city, disputed the president's characterization at a news conference, saying, "I did not ask for the National Guard and I don't think it's the way to drive down crime," while acknowledging the city still faces serious challenges.
Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee, a Republican, welcomed the plan and said he would speak with the president to work out details of the mission. Lee said the deployment would complement an ongoing FBI operation in Memphis and that the National Guard could be integrated with state Highway Patrol, city police and other law enforcement agencies. "I'm grateful for the President's unwavering support and commitment to providing every resource necessary to serve Memphians," Lee said in a statement.
City and state officials expressed different views on the proper role for the Guard. Several local leaders said they would accept federal assistance but prefer it to focus on bolstering existing law enforcement work and addressing root causes of violence, such as rehabilitation, mental health services, jobs and housing. Steve Mulroy, district attorney for Shelby County, said he preferred more FBI and federal law enforcement agents with civilian policing training rather than military troops, warning that short-term military deployments risk appearing performative with little lasting impact.
Trump said his decision followed a request from Union Pacific CEO Jim Vena, who has ties to FedEx and had urged federal attention to crime in the city. The White House did not answer Friday when asked whether city or state officials had formally requested a Guard deployment, or whether it would be under state or federal authority. It also declined to say whether additional federal law enforcement would be surged along with any guard presence.
Memphis police reported declines across every major crime category in the first eight months of 2025 compared with the same periods in past years, saying overall crime had fallen to a 25-year low and murders were at a six-year low. Still, the city has experienced persistent gun violence in recent years, including a record 390 homicides in 2023 and several high-profile killings that have drawn national attention.
Civil liberties groups and some local officials raised legal and constitutional concerns. Hina Shamsi, director of the ACLU's National Security Project, said she could not speak directly to the legality of a deployment without knowing whether the Guard would operate under state control or federal command and what legal justification would be used. She said there is no factual emergency that would justify calling out troops to perform policing functions and warned that using soldiers for civilian law enforcement can jeopardize Fourth and Fifth Amendment protections and chill First Amendment activity.
Republican state and federal officials backing the move argued the Guard could provide logistical and administrative support to free up local officers for frontline policing. State Sen. Brent Taylor, a Republican who supports the deployment, said the Guard could relieve officers of some duties so they can focus on policework. Tennessee's two Republican U.S. senators also expressed support for the intervention.
The announcement follows a pattern of deployments and threats by the president to use National Guard troops in urban areas. Earlier this year, Trump put the California National Guard under federal control, citing protection of federal property and to assist during immigration enforcement actions in Los Angeles, a move that prompted legal challenges by the state. In Washington, where the president directly commands the guard, troops have been used in a variety of roles without legal dispute.
Trump has also publicly suggested possible deployments to other Democratic-led, majority-Black cities, including Chicago, Portland and New Orleans. He said Friday he "would have preferred going to Chicago," but called the city too "hostile" and criticized its political leadership.
Local law enforcement officials have said federal operations in Memphis have already led to numerous arrests of people considered violent offenders. How the National Guard would be employed, whether under state or federal authority, and how long any deployment would last remained unclear. Legal experts and civil liberties advocates said those details will matter for questions about authority, oversight and the protections afforded to residents.
The differing reactions underscore the political and legal tensions that accompany the use of military forces in domestic settings, particularly in cities governed by Democrats. Supporters frame such deployments as necessary to combat violent crime and support local law enforcement; critics warn they risk undermining civil liberties and local control and could have limited long-term impact on public safety.
