Trump Targets Memphis With New Crime Task Force, Despite Falling Crime Rates

US President Donald Trump is rolling out a fresh crackdown on crime, this time in Memphis, Tennessee, by creating a federal task force and deploying National Guard troops, despite police data showing crime in the city is at a 25-year low.

In an executive order signed Monday, Trump announced the formation of a “Memphis State Task Force”, aimed at tackling what he called “tremendous levels of violent crime that have overwhelmed its local government’s ability to respond effectively.”

The task force will include personnel from the FBI, DEA, ICE, and US Marshals Service, but no timeline has been released yet for when the boots will hit the ground.

Trump compared the Memphis operation to his August-style crackdown in Washington, DC, when National Guard troops were stationed in the capital — a move that sparked major controversy. He’s also hinted at similar federal interventions in other Democratic-led cities like Baltimore and Chicago.

Tennessee Governor Bill Lee, a Republican, stood by Trump’s side during the announcement in the White House.

“I’ve been in office for seven years. I’m tired of crime holding the great city of Memphis back,” Lee said during the signing ceremony.

But not everyone’s on board.

While it’s true that Memphis topped the FBI’s 2024 list for violent crime rates among large US cities (2,501 per 100,000 residents), local law enforcement says the picture is more nuanced in 2025.

“Overall crime is at a 25-year low,” Memphis police said in a recent statement, noting that robbery, burglary, and larceny are all down to record lows. Murders have dropped to a six-year low, and aggravated assaults are at a five-year low.

Still, the numbers remain sobering: 146 homicides and over 4,300 aggravated assault cases reported in the first eight months of 2025 alone.

Known worldwide for its deep musical roots, rock and roll, soul, blues, Memphis is now facing a very different kind of attention, as military vehicles and federal agents prepare to roll in.

Critics say the move is more about politics than public safety, especially with Memphis being a Democratic stronghold. But supporters argue that federal involvement is necessary to ensure safety and restore confidence.