The White House said on Monday that President Donald Trump is sending federal resources, including as National Guard troops, to Memphis, a city on the Mississippi as part of a larger effort to reduce violent crime. The move comes after months of growing fears for public safety and puts Memphis at the front of a new federal crackdown that the administration is calling a response to “failed Democrat policies.”
The announcement was made in a White House release published Monday, which described Memphis as possessing “the highest rate of violent crime in the country.” Pointing to recent FBI data and compiled local news headlines, the administration underscored the intervention’s timeliness. The White House did not specify a deployment timeline or the scope of the federal presence, but confirmed that National Guard support would be part of the plan and that coordination with Tennessee officials is ongoing.
Residents quoted in the White House statement expressed alarm about daily safety and voiced support for added manpower. “We’re grateful for the National Guard coming,” said a local tax-service owner. One resident described, “It’s just so unsafe that you can’t get out of your car. if the National Guard is going to stop the crime, bring them on.” One Memphis resident described being awoken by a “barrage of gunfire” into his home, saying “everybody turns the cheek when it’s not in their ZIP code.”
The White House also included testimony from recent victims of carjacking. A mother from Memphis recounted having “two guns put in my face within five minutes” at different locations. A 60-year-old victim recounted being slammed to the ground and suffering a head injury, saying, “I honestly thought he was going to kill me.”
The national response, which has been dubbed the Memphis Safe Task Force, will include agents from the FBI, DEA, ICE, and U.S. Marshals, along with National Guard troops. The White House said the operation is designed to “dismantle the violent crime crisis” and restore law and order in the most affected communities of gun violence and repeat offenders.
Although some local officials have yet to speak out publicly, the announcement has already sparked controversy regarding federal involvement in urban policing and the long-term impact of military-style deployments on urban communities. The White House stated that it would continue to work with state and local governments to craft the plan and make the community safe.
A global media for the latest news, entertainment, music fashion, and more.
