President Donald Trump announced Friday that the National Guard will be deployed to Memphis, Tennessee—his latest effort to expand federal law enforcement operations into U.S. cities. The move comes just one month after he sent troops into Washington, D.C.
Trump described Memphis as “deeply troubled,” claiming that both Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee (R) and Memphis Mayor Paul Young (D) support the plan. Local outlet ABC24 previously reported that members of the city council had been briefed on a potential Guard presence.
The president said he was persuaded in part by Union Pacific CEO Jim Vena, a former FedEx board member, who warned him about crime in Memphis. According to Trump, Vena claimed he would need an armored vehicle to travel even a single block in the city. Vena also named St. Louis and Chicago as possible candidates for future deployments.
The announcement stands in stark contrast to local statistics. Memphis police data show that crime in the first eight months of 2025 is at a 25-year low, with homicides reaching their lowest point in six years.
Trump has repeatedly floated similar deployments, including to Chicago, but has faced resistance from city and state leaders. His administration is already tied up in litigation over earlier actions. Washington, D.C., sued earlier this month, alleging that Trump overstepped his constitutional authority, while a federal judge recently blocked a planned deployment to Los Angeles.
Despite these legal setbacks, Trump expressed confidence in his approach.
“We think we’re going to win all of them,” he told Fox News.