Trump’s Shocking Power Play: National Guard Deployed to Crime-Ridden Memphis Despite Fierce Local Backlash
- Memphis residents slam Trump’s move as “highly unnecessary” and “dehumanising”
- National Guard troops to be deployed alongside federal agencies and local law enforcement
- Trump’s decision sparks fears of military overreach and raises questions about presidential authority
US President Donald Trump has sparked outrage and concern in Memphis after announcing the deployment of National Guard troops to the city to combat crime. The move, which has been met with fierce resistance from local residents, is part of Trump’s broader initiative to tackle urban violence.
Memphis, which has the highest violent crime rate and property crime rate in the nation, will see a broad coalition of federal agencies, including the FBI, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and the Department of Homeland Security, working alongside the National Guard and local law enforcement. Attorney-General Pam Bondi will lead the operation.
However, many Memphis residents are not convinced that the deployment is necessary. “I think our military and people that we have here are very capable of taking care of what’s going on here in Memphis without any outside intrusion,” said George Taylor, a local resident.
Princess Lowe, another resident, was more blunt in her assessment. “I think it’s highly unnecessary. But, I mean, I don’t really think it is going to stop s**t either, though. I’m going to just be honest. This is Memphis we … [are talking] about.”
Reganald Ousluy, a concerned citizen, likened the deployment to a war zone. “It’s like you are bringing them over to make this a war zone, or something. Like we’re overseas somewhere, like they do when they go to war. That’s entirely like dehumanising us. His own people. Why would he do that?”
Trump’s decision to deploy federal law enforcement and National Guard troops to Memphis has drawn sharp criticism from Democratic leaders and civil rights advocates, who say the move is more about politics than public safety.
The US military is generally restricted from being involved in domestic law enforcement, making it unclear under what authority Trump will deploy the National Guard. The Posse Comitatus Act generally restricts the use of the US military in domestic law enforcement, though exceptions exist.
Trump’s administration has been aggressively positioning crime as a centrepiece of their political strategy, aiming to galvanise voters around a message of law and order. With federal deployments to Memphis and Washington DC, and promises of expanded crackdowns in cities like Chicago, the administration is casting violent crime as a national emergency.