President Donald Trump has declared Memphis, Tennessee, as the latest city to be included in his federal crime crackdown initiative. This announcement comes on the heels of a 30-day National Guard deployment in Washington, D.C., which the President touted as a success due to a significant decrease in violent crime. The initiative in Memphis is set to mirror the efforts in D.C., with a focus on curbing the city's high crime rates.
In an interview on "Fox & Friends," President Trump expressed his concerns about Memphis, stating, "We're going to Memphis – Memphis is deeply troubled. We're going to fix that just like we did Washington." The President's intervention in D.C. earlier this year was met with mixed reactions, as some praised the move for its effectiveness while others criticized it as an overreach of federal power. Despite the controversy, Trump stands firm on the positive results achieved in the nation's capital.
The National Guard's presence will continue in D.C. through November, as the President shifts his attention to Memphis. The city's violent crime rate in 2024 stood at 2,501 per 100,000 people, alarmingly higher than the national rate of 380 per 100,000, as reported by the Daily Mail. This staggering statistic has placed Memphis at the forefront of Trump's law-and-order campaign.
President Trump acknowledged the cooperation of Tennessee Governor Bill Lee (R), which has been instrumental in facilitating the federal support for Memphis. In a surprising bipartisan moment, Memphis' Democratic Mayor Paul Young also welcomed the federal assistance, emphasizing the need to address the city's public safety concerns.
Trump's approach to crime reduction includes deploying the National Guard and coordinating with federal law enforcement agencies. He credits this strategy with the notable crime reduction in Washington, D.C. Critics, however, question the legality of such interventions, pointing to the Home Rule Act and the potential for federal overreach. Supporters counter that federal action is necessary in cities where crime rates have surged and local authorities have not adequately protected residents.
The President made it clear that the federal intervention in Memphis will be tactical and targeted, with plans to "bring in anybody else we need" to assist in restoring safety to neighborhoods afflicted by violent crime. With crime rates in Memphis exceeding national averages by over six times, the city is now under the national spotlight as Trump embarks on what he calls a "law-and-order revival" across America's most dangerous urban centers. Observers are closely watching to see if the federal involvement can replicate the D.C. results and what impact this will have on the upcoming 2026 elections.
