Trump creates task force to ensure Memphis safety, announces National Guard deployment

Donald Trump created the Memphis Security Task Force and sent the National Guard to the Tennessee city. In a new offensive against crime, the president held up Washington, D.C., as an example of what federal aid can do to help counter crime in big cities.

Trump announced the measures from the Oval Room, accompanied by Tennessee Governor Bill Lee as well as his two senators: Marsha Blackburn and Bill Hagerty. Trump emphasized that the task force was established at the express request of Governor Lee. Paul Young, the city's Democratic mayor, told CNN he was unhappy with the deployment.

In addition to the National Guard, federal forces that will be present in Memphis include the FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the Office of Homeland Security Investigations and federal marshals.

"I'm signing a presidential memorandum to establish the Memphis Safe Task Force. And it's very important because of the crime that's going on, not only in Memphis, in many cities, that we're going to take care of all of them a step by step, just like we did in D.C," Trump said during the event.

"It's very important because of the crime that's going on, not only in Memphis, in many cities," Trump said on Monday. "The task force will be a replica of our extraordinarily successful efforts here, and you'll see it's a lot of the same thing," he added.

As for the seriousness of crime in Memphis, the White House released a statement in which it described the city as having "the highest violent crime rate in the country." According to FBI data released by WSMV, Memphis has 2501 violent crimes per 100,000 residents, the highest rate in the country.

"Tennesseans are grateful for what the Trump administration is doing to rid Memphis of violent crime and restore law and order in this great city. This is a long-term effort to Make Memphis Safe Again," Sen. Blackburn, who has already announced her candidacy for governor in 2026, said.

“I’m tired of crime holding the great city of Memphis back. “When we come together, we can make significant change in our city and the city of Memphis … and I want to say thank you,” Governor Lee said.