(The Center Square) – Two days after second-term Republican President Donald Trump announced he was sending in the National Guard to help with what he called a significant crime problem in Memphis, questions remain as to when it will happen.
Gov. Bill Lee’s office did not return a message to The Center Square asking for details.
The governor told the Daily Memphian, “Part of our plan is just to make sure people know when we know … We obviously want the community to understand when this is going to happen, what it’s going to look like, how many soldiers there are going to be, how many police officers there are going to be, how many troopers there will be. The more we tell Memphians, the better off it’s going to be.”
The deployment is being welcomed by Republicans.
U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., said the announcement is already having an effect.
“When President Trump deployed the National Guard in D.C., violent crime dropped by nearly 20% almost overnight,” Blackburn said. “I look forward to seeing similar results in Memphis and across the country in the days ahead.”
Democrats said the National Guard is not the answer. They said crime is down during the first eight months of 2025, with murder rates reaching a six-year low.
Tennessee state Rep. Jesse Chism, D-Memphis and chairman of the Tennessee Black Caucus of State Legislators, said Wednesday he hopes Lee puts the National Guard under Memphis Police Chief C.J. Davis’ leadership.
“While I disapprove of the deployment itself, I recognize the seriousness of our city’s public safety challenges and want to ensure this effort is carried out in a way that truly supports Memphis rather than undermines it,” Chism said.
