Memphis Mayor Paul Young said he did not request the National Guard and questioned whether troops are the right solution to the city's crime challenges, even as federal and state leaders move forward with the deployment.
Young Says He Never Requested National Guard In Memphis
In a post on X last Saturday, Young disclosed that Gov. Bill Lee (R-Tenn.) and President Donald Trump had decided to send the National Guard and other resources to Memphis.
"Yesterday morning, we learned that the Governor & President have decided to place the National Guard & other resources in Memphis, which they have the authority to do," he wrote.
"I want to be clear: I did not ask for the National Guard and I don't think it is the way to drive down crime."
Mayor Commits To Managing Federal And State Decisions
In a follow-up message, the mayor acknowledged that the decision was final. "However, the decision has been made.
As your Mayor, my commitment is to work strategically to ensure this happens in a way that truly benefits and strengthens our community," Young added.
Young told CNN on Saturday he was "not happy" with the decision but said his role now is to ensure the federal presence has "limited impact" and is deployed strategically.
Trump Targets Memphis Crime
Trump declared Memphis "overrun" with robberies, carjackings and shootings, promising to replicate his Washington, D.C., task force, which included the National Guard, FBI, ATF, ICE and DOJ, according to BBC.
"We're not going to allow this kind of savagery to destroy our society anymore," he said, crediting the D.C. operation for bringing "virtually no crime" to the capital.
He vowed to "fix" Memphis and said Chicago and St. Louis remain possible future targets.
Trump Faces Backlash From Newsom, Duckworth And Chicago Mayor
Trump's decision came after weeks of speculation that Chicago would be the next focus of his "Operation Midway Blitz," a federal push against crime and immigration violations.
He admitted he "would have preferred" targeting Chicago but chose Memphis instead.
Earlier this month, Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-Calif.) blasted Trump on X using troops as "political pawns" and recalling earlier clashes over federal deployments in Los Angeles.
In the same month, Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), a retired Army National Guard lieutenant colonel, also criticized the decision.
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson also called Trump's approach unconstitutional, saying the president wanted to "occupy our city and break our Constitution."’
Read Next:
Photo Courtesy: Kevin Ruck on Shutterstock.com
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
