Trump says National Guard being deployed to Memphis to fight crime

Watch Trump says National Guard being deployed to Memphis to fight crime - Straight Arrow News on Dailymotion

Transcript

00:00After sending the National Guard into Los Angeles and Washington, D.C.,

00:05President Donald Trump now says he's deploying troops to Memphis, Tennessee to combat crime in the city.

00:10He made the announcement on Fox & Friends on Friday.

00:16We're going to Memphis. Memphis is deeply troubled.

00:21And the mayor is happy. He's a Democrat mayor.

00:24The mayor is happy, and the governor, Tennessee.

00:27The governor is happy. Deeply troubled.

00:30We're going to fix that just like we did Washington.

00:33I would have preferred going to Chicago.

00:35Democratic Representative Steve Cohen, who represents Memphis, responded in a statement saying,

00:41Memphis is not a troubled city, as President Trump has said.

00:45We have a crime problem.

00:47He added the problem is made worse as a result of slavery, segregation,

00:52and underfunded programs for low-income communities.

00:56He says the ultimate solution is investing in proven programs.

01:01According to an analysis by Axios of FBI data, Memphis had the fourth-highest homicide rate in the nation in 2024,

01:10with nearly 41 homicides per 100,000 people.

01:14Jackson, Mississippi had the highest, with nearly 78 homicides per 100,000.

01:19While Trump says he would have preferred sending troops into Chicago,

01:23where he says the environment is too hostile and filled with professional agitators,

01:29Illinois' Democratic Governor J.B. Pritzker is opposed to any effort by Trump to deploy the National Guard to his state.

01:36Trump most recently deployed the National Guard to Washington, D.C.

01:40as the federalization of the nation's capital just expired this week.

01:45The president is also facing lawsuits for deploying National Guard and U.S. Marines to Los Angeles

01:51to quell protests over U.S. immigration and customs enforcement raids earlier this year.

01:58Trump has not said how many troops will be deployed to Memphis,

02:01but they are reportedly expected to directly assist in law enforcement operations.

02:07Memphis Mayor Paul Young said in a statement he was informed of the potential deployment of troops

02:13to his city earlier this week, but says what is needed most is financial help

02:18to enhance prevention efforts while emphasizing progress is being made in the fight against crime.

02:25For more on this story, you can download the Straight Arrow News mobile app or visit us online at san.com.