President Donald Trump signed a memo launching a federal task force in Memphis, Tennessee, aimed at combating crime through the deployment of the National Guard and multiple federal law enforcement agencies, including the FBI, ATF, DEA, ICE, and U.S. Marshals. The initiative mirrors previous actions taken in Washington, D.C., and is expected to begin within the month. Attorney General Pam Bondi expressed enthusiasm about the operation, emphasizing collaboration with state officials and a shared goal of restoring safety. Trump predicted a swift drop in crime rates, citing D.C. as a precedent, while Tennessee Governor Bill Lee voiced optimism about the plan’s potential to revitalize Memphis.
Despite the administration’s claims of urgent intervention, local officials noted recent improvements in Memphis’s crime statistics, including a six-year low in the murder rate. The move is part of a broader federal strategy targeting Democrat-led cities, with Trump naming St. Louis, Chicago, and potentially New Orleans as future sites for similar crackdowns. The legality of such deployments remains contested; California Governor Gavin Newsom previously sued over National Guard use in Los Angeles, and a federal judge ruled that Trump’s actions violated laws barring military involvement in civilian law enforcement. That case is currently under appeal, highlighting ongoing tensions between federal authority and state sovereignty.