Many Memphis, Tennessee residents are split over President Donald Trump’s approval to deploy the National Guard to fight crime in the city.
On Monday, President Trump signed a memorandum creating the “Memphis Safe Task Force” to tackle crime in Memphis. The task force comprises the National Guard, the FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee stated that the task force will “accelerate the positive momentum” of “Operation Viper,” a current FBI initiative that Lee claims has led to the capture of hundreds of violent offenders since July.
“Throughout my seven years in office, we’ve made substantial investments in addressing crime, and thanks to President Trump’s leadership, the Memphis Safe Task Force will provide us with every resource to create significant change,” Lee remarked.
Memphis business owner Joe Morrow commented that “crime is bad for business.” With major companies like Google and xAI establishing data centers locally, Morrow noted that further actions are necessary to tackle the city’s crime issues.
However, Morrow questions whether a National Guard deployment is the answer to solving the city’s lingering crime.
“We’ve already got law enforcement here. We’ve got state troopers they’ve sent in. The FBI is present. Various agencies. The National Guard is just another enforcement body,” Morrow explained. “Deployment comes with directives. What orders do they have upon arrival? Will I be regarded as a human being? Or am I merely another item on a deployment list to be targeted? Which I’m not.”
Some Memphis residents think the police department, Tennessee Highway Patrol troopers and FBI are effectively fighting crime. (Fox News)
Michael Kuntzman, a Memphis bar manager, was also concerned that a National Guard presence would hurt the city’s nightlife that his bar relies on.
“I think showing such force will definitely impact nightlife, as people might avoid going out with bright lights and National Guard in camo everywhere,” Kuntzman mentioned. “Personally, I’d stay at home if that’s the situation.”
Trump several weeks ago threatened to send the National Guard to Chicago but was met with strong resistance from Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker. Trump insisted on Tuesday that Chicago is the National Guard’s next stop.
