Memphis, year zero: The Trump's plan that managed to stem the tide of violence

Murders, robberies, assaults, thefts, street violence... Regardless of the type of crime, just two years ago Memphis, Tenn., had the highest per-capita violent crime rate in the entire country. Upon his return to the White House, Donald Trump launched an emergency plan aimed at curbing this escalation of violence and bringing down crime rates that had reached critical levels in the second-most-populous city in the state of Tennessee.

As part of that strategy, the president pushed for two specific measures. The first was the deployment of the National Guard, a decision that the Trump administration also implemented in other cities—such as Washington, D.C.; Los Angeles; Chicago; Portland, Ore.; Charlotte, N.C., and New Orleans—where crime was rampant, and which was carried out under an agreement with state and local authorities. After a few months, he gradually withdrew the troops that had been sent.

The second measure was the launch of what is known as the Memphis Safe Task Force, consisting of a partnership among federal, state, and local agencies with a single objective: "To end street and violent crime in Memphis to the greatest possible extent through the promotion and facilitation of hypervigilant policing, aggressive prosecution, complex investigations, financial enforcement, and large-scale saturation of besieged neighborhoods with law enforcement personnel," as noted the president.

Such was the scope of this task force that, despite collaboration from various agencies, it was led by the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), the nation's oldest federal law enforcement agency—established by former President George Washington in 1789—which is responsible for locating and arresting federal suspects.

Initial results from Memphis Safe Task Force: Sharp decline in homicides

Nearly a year after its founding, the Memphis Safe Task Force is producing results that symbolize a major achievement in a city where crime, violence and delinquency were routine.

In December 2025, when the task force had been in operation for just three months, the USMS reported that more than 4,000 criminals had already been arrested. This figure underscores "a sustained commitment to reducing violent crime and protecting the most vulnerable in Memphis neighborhoods."

"These enforcement actions reflect the Task Force’s dedication to public safety and its mission to restore peace and security across Memphis communities. The results speak for themselves: murder is down 39.47%, sexual assault is down 43.13%, robbery is down 59.58%, and motor vehicle thefts are down 69.63%. Violent crime in Memphis has significantly been reduced across multiple categories," the report added.

More than 10,000 arrests

Months later, in June 2026, the USMS provided an update. The results confirmed the success of each and every agency participating in this partnership: more than 10,000 arrests and 1,708 illegal firearms confiscated since the Memphis Safe Task Force was established. Of those arrested, 293 were minors and 1,062 were gang members.

"This is a significant milestone for the dedicated men and women working around the clock to end street and violent crime in Memphis," emphasized Tyreece Miller, U.S. Marshal for the Western District of Tennessee. "By removing these illicit firearms from Memphis streets and making 10,000 arrests, we have achieved unprecedented results, not just for the Task Force, but for all the residents and visitors to our beloved city. I am extremely proud of the work they have done and that they will continue to do to fulfill the President’s pledge."

Public support

The effectiveness of operations against crime and delinquency is not only recognized by official entities. The Crime Commission is a private nonprofit organization with the goal "to improve public safety by identifying and advocating best practices to prevent and reduce crime." It has sought to evaluate and recognize the work done by federal, state and local law enforcement agencies.

Through its website and charts it has released, the Crime Commission has indicated that the overall crime rate in the first quarter of 2026 in Shelby County—which includes Memphis—fell by 28.3% compared to the same period in 2025. Furthermore, it notes that violent crimes—illegal acts involving the use of physical force, intimidation or the threat of harm against a person—decreased by 29.3% between January and March of this year compared to the same period last year.