• Trump announces the creation of a Memphis Safe Task Force to combat violent crime.
• The initiative includes deploying the National Guard along with other federal agencies.
• Criticism arises from local leaders, suggesting the deployment is unnecessary amid falling crime rates.
• Trump indicates Chicago could be the next target for similar federal intervention.
• The Memphis mayor expressed discontent with the decision to bring in the National Guard.

President Trump has signed an executive order establishing the Memphis Safe Task Force, which will deploy National Guard troops and various federal law enforcement agencies, including the FBI and ICE, to combat crime in Memphis. Trump stated that the task force would mirror successful crime-fighting actions taken in Washington, D.C., as he aims to tackle significant crime issues in the city, where violent crime rates are notably high according to various reports, including from CBS News, BBC, and Reuters.

Accompanying Trump during the announcement was Tennessee Governor Bill Lee, who has expressed his support for the initiative, stating he is "tired of crime holding the great city of Memphis back." The Memphis mayor, Paul Young, however, voiced his concerns, asserting that he had not requested the deployment of the National Guard and doubted its effectiveness in reducing crime, a sentiment echoed in reports from The Hill and India Times.

The president emphasized that the crime situation in Memphis is dire, citing high rates of violent offenses. He also hinted that Chicago could be next in line for similar federal interventions. "We’re going to be doing Chicago probably next," he said, indicating a broader national strategy targeting cities with rising crime rates, as covered by Le Monde and Al Jazeera.

Despite the president’s claims of escalating crime, Memphis police report overall crime rates have seen a significant decline, with violent crime reaching a 25-year low in the early months of 2025. Local authorities emphasize that the deployment of the National Guard may not be the necessary solution for ongoing violence, as stated by Memphis authorities in an analysis by TRT Global and further supported by statistics cited by the The Hill.