President Donald Trump is already taking credit for crime being down in Memphis after announcing on Friday that he would be sending the National Guard into the city after doing the same in the nation’s capital.
In a Saturday evening Truth Social post, the president wrote, “The only reason crime is somewhat down in Memphis is because the FBI, and others in the Federal Government, at my direction, have been working there for 5 months—on the absolutely terrible Crime numbers.“
He continued, “Likewise, in Chicago and Los Angeles! But the real work by us has barely begun. That happens after we make the official announcement that WE’RE COMING, and when we do that, as we did in now VERY SAFE WASHINGTON, D.C., the no crime ‘miracle’ begins,“ before ending with, ”ONLY I CAN SAVE THEM!!!”
Trump previously sent the National Guard into Los Angeles—a move that has since been ruled unlawful—before doing the same in Washington D.C. He also revealed his intention to send troops into other U.S. cities, primarily those governed by Democrats.
On Friday, the administration announced plans to deploy troops to Memphis “as part of the Trump Administration’s aggressive push to dismantle the rampant violent crime fueled by failed Democrat governance in major cities“.
In contrast with other state governors, including California’s Gavin Newsom and Illinois’ J.B. Pritzker, Republican Tennessee Governor Bill Lee is working with the administration to deploy troops in his state.
In a post made on Friday, Lee wrote, “For months, I have been in constant communication with the Trump Administration to develop a multi-phased, strategic plan to combat crime in Memphis, leveraging the full extent of both federal and state resources.”
For months, I have been in constant communication with the Trump Administration to develop a multi-phased, strategic plan to combat crime in Memphis, leveraging the full extent of both federal and state resources.The next phase will include a comprehensive mission with the…
— Gov. Bill Lee (@GovBillLee) September 12, 2025
Memphis Mayor Paul Young, a Democrat, was not consulted on this plan, revealing on CNN that his first confirmation that troops would be deployed to his city came from the president’s Friday morning announcement on Fox News.
Young told CNN’s Victor Blackwell that he had only learned earlier in the week that the administration’s plan was under consideration from the governor’s office, and that he was “certainly not happy” about the National Guard coming to his city.
“As mayor, my goal is to make sure if they are indeed coming, that we have an opportunity to drive some of the decisions around how they engage in our community,” Young said.
“With regards to the National Guard, it is something that we don’t have a choice in, and we’re going to do all we can to ensure it has limited impact on our community.”
While crime is down in D.C. following the deployment of the National Guard, experts note that it was already falling. Reports from the capital indicate that troops have had so much free time on their hands, they’ve begun asking neighborhood commissioners how they can assist with beautification efforts.
National Guard deployment also risks alienating locals and potential visitors alike. An internal sentiment analysis conducted by the National Guard and accidentally emailed to members of the media found that the majority of responses to the deployment are negative, and that deploying troops has the potential to widen the rift between civilians and troops.
In addition, museums and restaurants are reporting lower visitor numbers in the wake of the deployment. “We have been dealing with concerns from the leisure market about the atmosphere in D.C. That has been the biggest issue,” said Elliot Ferguson, CEO of Destination DC.
The post Trump Makes Wild Assertion About Crime in U.S. Cities appeared first on The Daily Beast.
