Elected officials are sharing mixed reactions to President Donald Trump’s decision to deploy the National Guard to Memphis.
Trump told Fox News that he would be deploying the military force to the city as a part of his crackdown on crime. The controversial decision has become the topic of conversation amongst city and state leaders, as well as citizens and political advocates.
United States Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) voiced her support prior to the confirmation of the decision, saying she hoped they would “combat violent crime and restore law and order.”
Blackburn released the following statement: “We are grateful for everything President Trump has already done to Make Memphis Safe Again with the help of FBI Director Patel and Attorney General Pam Bondi
Today, President Trump answered my call to do whatever it takes to Make Memphis Safe Again, and I applaud his decision to send the National Guard to Memphis following his tremendous success in reducing violent crime in Washington, D.C. Time and time again, President Trump has stepped in to restore law and order in blue cities that refuse to protect their own citizens, and I will continue working alongside the Trump administration to hold left-wing officials accountable for the consequences of soft-on-crime agendas.”
Other lawmakers, such as Sen London Lamar (D-Memphis) have condemned the decision, saying that the Guard presence could do more harm than good.
“For those who asked for the National Guard, you got your wish. But be honest: This is not a long-term solution for public safety. It’s a band-aid,” Lamar said. “When the troops leave, crime issues will come right back, because Trump is choosing cheap political theater over the hard work of strengthening a community. Memphis is not a war zone — it’s a city making progress. Overall crime is at a 25-year low, murders are at a six-year low, and robberies and burglaries are at a 25-year low. We have more work to do, but our community is safer today because local leaders are working hard, not because of political stunts. If President Trump truly wanted to help, he’d restore the hundreds of millions in police and crime prevention funding his administration cut in April. And if Tennessee Republicans were serious about safety, they’d fix our broken gun laws and invest in good jobs, safe housing and health care — the real solutions that keep families safe. Instead, Trump and Republicans are using the National Guard as a political pawn. That’s just wrong and Memphis deserves better.
Below are responses from other state and local leaders.
Congressman Steven Cohen (D-Memphis)
“First, I had hoped the National Guard would not be deployed here. Mayor Young told me earlier this week that it was a possibility and that, if Governor Lee decided to send them, he would work to use them in a manner that is secondary and supportive of the police.
Memphis is not ‘a troubled city,’ as President Trump has said. We have a crime problem. We do have problems that may be ‘endemic,’ but they are the result of centuries of racial discrimination, including slavery that separated families without educational opportunities. Even after they were freed, they faced Jim Crow discrimination in the South. These are the historical facts. What Memphis needs is consistent federal investment in police protection with additional, permanent patrols and community policing to establish relationships. We need programs like the Minority Business Development Center that Trump’s Commerce Department just eliminated which helped create jobs and capital accumulation.
In the short run, the Guard can help the police in a supportive role. In the long run, Memphis needs federal dollars invested in proven programs.
D.C. has been my second home for 19 years. I have a condo and a car, and I live in the city after work (not in my office). I do not perceive any change in the level of safety since Trump’s deployment of the National Guard in D.C. The president recently went out to a restaurant in D.C. and said that it is now the safest town in the world, and that it is safe to walk anywhere. That’s not true. There have not been ‘many arrests of very bad people,’ as he puts it. Most of the arrests are for low-level offenses. While D.C. crime is bad, it was declining and doesn’t differ much from national trends.
For Memphis, major investments in proven programs will make a difference; deploying the National Guard through a short publicity stunt will not. I certainly hope this not a facade for increased ICE enforcement in Memphis. That’s what I think this is about, and that would harm our local economy, particularly the tourist and construction industries. This is all about Trump showing the world that he’s a tough guy. This is the Trump Show 2.0.”
Rep. Jesse Chism (D-Memphis)
“Anytime we talk about bringing in an occupying strike force made up of folk who don’t know Memphis and don’t have a relationship with the people and the communities, I’m very concerned.
“I believe we risk undermining the progress our police department is already making. Sending troops into Memphis now could rip the scab off of a wound that is just beginning to heal and only increases the possibility of unintended consequences. We need to support our elected leaders and our police department by supplying the financial resources needed for additional officers and violence prevention programs to supplement what’s already starting to make a difference in our community. We need to give them what they need instead of just throwing out politically driven rhetoric. We need to focus more on what we can do to help the Memphians living in poverty and make it easier for them to put food on their table and go see a doctor when a family member gets sick.”
Sen. Raumesh Akbari (D-Memphis)
“As a lifelong Memphian, I want to be clear: We do not need the National Guard occupying our city. The last time a U.S. president sent the Guard to Memphis was in 1968, after Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated at the Lorraine Motel and our community was in deep grief and unrest. Other times the Guard was deployed to Southern cities, it was to enforce civil rights laws when segregationists refused to comply. That history matters — because what we are seeing now is not about justice, it’s about politics.
“This is an abuse of power, using troops to score political points off of crime statistics, even though overall crime in Memphis is down to a 25-year low. That’s not leadership — that’s overreach.
“We cannot stop the National Guard from coming into Memphis. So if they’re here, I urge them to work directly with our mayor and our police leadership to determine the best use of their time. Just like during the pandemic when they helped give out vaccines and provided support for our area hospitals, I pray something good will come from this. But the bottom line is this: Memphis deserves real solutions, not more political stunts.”
Rep. Justin J. Pearson (D-Memphis)
“As state representative for Tennessee House District 86, I strongly oppose the deployment of the National Guard to Memphis. While I share the deep concern for those in our city who are harmed by gun violence and other crimes, the use of military force in our streets is not the solution.
“Our residents deserve federal investment in community-based safety measures, dialogue, and resources that address the root causes of crime, not the presence of federal armed troops in our city’s streets. The National Guard is trained for combat and crisis response, not for the delicate, complex task of community relations, local policing and building public trust. Their deployment risks escalating tensions, endangering both civilians and service members, and eroding the very sense of security we seek to protect. This deployment is unjust, unconstitutional, and Un-American!
“Instead of militarizing our neighborhoods, we should invest in proven strategies: strengthening local law enforcement accountability, increasing mental health and addiction services, ensuring economic opportunity and living wages, eradicating poverty, and fostering open communication between city leaders and the people they serve.
“It is no coincidence that the Trump Administration is targeting Black-led cities with Republican-influenced leaders. The people of Memphis need solutions that build trust and healing, not fear and intimidation. I call on local, state and national leaders to oppose any plan that calls for National Guard deployment in Memphis and urge them to partner with our communities and local organizations to identify constructive, peaceful paths forward. We deserve investment, not militarization!”