World

Trump signs order to send troops into Memphis for crime crackdown

Memphis, Black-majority city in Tennessee, has Democratic mayor, while Tennessee state has Republican governor

By AFP
September 16, 2025
US President Donald Trump, with Tennessee Senators Marsha Blackburn and Bill Hagerty, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee, and US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, looks on after signing a memorandum to send federal resources to Memphis, Tennessee, for a surge against local crime, in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, DC, US, September 15, 2025. — Reuters
US President Donald Trump, with Tennessee Senators Marsha Blackburn and Bill Hagerty, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee, and US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, looks on after signing a memorandum to send federal resources to Memphis, Tennessee, for a surge against local crime, in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, DC, US, September 15, 2025. — Reuters

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump has signed an order to deploy National Guard troops to Memphis, saying the step is aimed at tackling crime in the city. 

The move is part of his broader crackdown on urban violence like the deployment in Washington in August, but critics argue it risks undermining democratic freedoms.

"The effort will include the National Guard as well as the FBI and other federal agencies," Trump told reporters at a signing ceremony in the Oval Office, adding that it was "very important because of the crime that’s going on."

The Republican added: "We’re gonna be doing Chicago probably next."

The president has claimed troop deployments and deportation raids in Washington and Los Angeles have saved the cities from immigrant crime — one of his key election pledges.

US Attorney General Pam Bondi said at the signing ceremony that federal agencies would use the "highly successful" Washington model to "Make Memphis Safe Again."

Trump has so far targeted Democratic-run cities in his crackdown.

Memphis, a Black-majority city in Tennessee, has a Democratic mayor, while Tennessee state has a Republican governor.

The Trump administration last week launched a new immigration enforcement operation in Chicago to target what it called the "worst of the worst criminals."

Trump has repeatedly threatened to send National Guard troops into the city, sparring with Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, a Democrat, in social media posts.