The White House has ordered National Guard troops and a multi-agency “Memphis Safe Task Force” into Memphis to confront violent crime, mirroring an earlier federal surge in Washington, DC. City leaders are split: while Tennessee’s governor welcomed the move, Memphis’s mayor said he did not seek the Guard and does not believe it will reduce crime.

What the Order Does — And Who’s Involved

The presidential directive establishes a task force that pairs the National Guard with the FBI, US Marshals, DEA and immigration authorities, with the stated aim of driving down violent crime in Memphis. The memorandum’s language echoes the administration’s recent action in Washington, described by the president as a “replica” for Memphis; Attorney General Pamela Bondi has been positioned as a lead voice for the effort.

Local Pushback and Political Stakes

Memphis Mayor Paul Young wrote that “I did not ask for the National Guard and I don’t think it is the way to drive down crime,” adding the decision had been made by state and federal leaders. By contrast, Governor Bill Lee said he was “tired of crime holding the great city of Memphis back,” and his office sought Title 32 activation to support the deployment. The administration has signaled similar actions could follow in other cities, underscoring the national political stakes of the crime debate.

The Numbers: High 2024 Rate, 2025 Declines

A federal crime release shows national violent crime fell in 2024, yet Memphis ranked worst among large US cities that year, at roughly 2,501 violent offenses per 100,000 residents. Local police, however, reported “historic” reductions through the first eight months of 2025, with robberies, burglaries and larcenies at 25-year lows and homicides at a six-year low—data the city says complicate claims of a crime spike.

What Comes Next for Memphis

Officials have not released an operational timeline or troop levels. State statements reference linking the Guard to existing joint operations—like federal “Operation Viper” and a highway-patrol surge—suggesting the deployment will plug into ongoing task-force work rather than replace local policing. Civil-rights groups and Democratic officials are weighing legal and policy responses while the White House argues the surge will make the city safer.