President Donald Trump signed an order on Monday to deploy the National Guard to Memphis in an effort to combat crime, marking another instance of his administration’s use of military force in American cities.
Trump announced the decision during a meeting with Republican Tennessee Governor Bill Lee in the Oval Office, describing the initiative as a “replica of our extraordinarily successful efforts” in Washington.
This refers to the previous month when Trump deployed National Guard troops to the nation’s capital and federalized the city’s police force, a move he claims led to a reduction in crime.
In addition to the National Guard, the Memphis operation will include officials from various federal agencies such as the FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and the U.S. Marshals Service. “We’re sending in the big force now,” Trump said.
The White House, shortly before Trump’s announcement, noted on social media that Memphis’s total crime rate was higher than the national average and suggested that the rate had increased since last year, contrary to national trends.
