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Many Memphis residents, Tennessee, divide on the approval of President Donald Trump to display the National Guard to combat crime in the city.
On Monday, President Trump signed a memorandum that established the “Safe Safe task group” to address the crime in Memphis. The task force includes the National Guard, the FBI, the Office of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Control Administration, National Security Research and Immigration and Customs Control.
The governor of Tennessee, Bill Lee said that the working group “will accelerate the positive impulse” of the “Viper Operation”, an ongoing mission of the FBI that Lee says he has led to the arrest of hundreds of violent criminals since July.
“We have made significant investments to address the crime over my seven years in office, and thanks to the leadership of President Trump, the Memphis Safe task group will ensure that we have all the resources at our disposal to create a significant change,” Lee said.
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The governor of Tennessee, Bill Lee, joined President Trump in the Oval office to establish the “Safe Safe task group.” (Fox News)
Lee also authorized more than 100 soldiers of the Tennessee road patrol to help the local police in Shelby County.
Memphis has the highest crime rate in the United States, and some residents said that federal intervention could be the only way to demolish it quickly.
“I feel that his presence can deter a little. He will not do much, I don't think, but I mean, anything will help,” said Angela Dowdy, resident of Memphis.
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Memphis mayor Paul Young said that a deployment of the National Guard is not necessary, citing a downward trend in the crime in the last year.
“I want to be clear: I did not ask for the National Guard and I do not think it is the way to reduce crime,” Young to X published.
Memphis reported a 23% drop in crimes on Part 1 from 2024 to 2025. The FBI defines the crimes of part 1 as criminal homicide, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, theft, theft, theft of motor vehicles, fire and human trafficking.
The mayor of Memphis, Paul Young, used the decline crime of the city as a justification that a deployment of the National Guard is not necessary in the city. (Fox News)
Dr. George Campbell, resident of Memphis, said that he hopes that local leaders can use this as an opportunity to take the Federal Council.
“[W]He needs to have all people in the position really worried about making a difference in the city and not only put in their pockets or from a political sense, only political, “Campbell said.
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Memphis's business owner Joe Morrow said “the crime is bad for business.” With large companies such as Google and Xai Building Data Centers in the area, Morrow said that something should still be done to resolve the crime of the city.
However, Morrow questions whether a deployment of the National Guard is the answer to resolve the persistent crime of the city.
“We already have the police here. We have state soldiers in which they have sent. We have the FBI here. Different things. The National Guard is just another form of application of the law,” Morrow said. “The deployment comes with the orders. What are the orders they have when they come here? Will I be seen … as a human being? Or am I something in the deployment list that is an objective or a threat? What am I not.”
Some Memphis residents think that the Police Department, the soldiers of the Tennessee road patrol and the FBI are effectively struggling against the crime. (Fox News)
Michael Kuntzman, Mephis bar manager, also worried that a presence of the National Guard damaged the nightlife of the city on which his bar is based.
“I think having a sample of force like that will definitely affect nightlife, where people will not be out if there are bright lights and the national guard in Camo everywhere,” Kuntzman said. “I know, I will be in the house if that is the case.”
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Trump several weeks ago threatened to send the National Guard to Chicago, but found a strong resistance from the mayor of Chicago Brandon Johnson and the governor of Illinois JB Pritzker. Trump insisted on Tuesday that Chicago is the next National Guard stop.
