Congressman Cohen Raises Concerns about the Military in Memphis

WASHINGTON - Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-9) wrote to Attorney General Pam Bondi and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth today saying that he learned of their visit to Memphis from the news media, not from their offices, and said he hopes to get answers about how the Memphis Safety Task Force will work.

The letter reads in part:

"If the real purpose of the Memphis Safety Task Force is public safety, we must be more collaborative."

See the entire text of the letters here:

"Dear Attorney General Bondi and Secretary Hegseth:

"I was disappointed to learn from the media that you were in Memphis discussing the Memphis Safety Task Force, which involves sending federal law enforcement resources and National Guard troops to my district. I sincerely hope this will be a collaborative process that empowers Memphians, not some punitive effort or federal occupation of this great American city.

"I still have many questions about how the Memphis Safety Task Force will work, the priorities of federal law enforcement, and the mission of National Guard troops. Many of the terms and structures of President Trump's September 15, 2025, Memorandum entitled 'Restoring Law and Order in Memphis' remain undefined.

"This is particularly concerning because, just yesterday, Secretary Hegseth assembled the nation's most senior military leaders to stress that the exclusivepurpose of the military was 'war fighting.' He continued, 'We also don't fight with stupid rules of engagement. We untie the hands of our warfighters to intimidate, demoralize, hunt, and kill the enemies of our country. No more politically correct and overbearing rules of engagement, just common sense, maximum lethality, and authority for warfighters.'

"President Trump followed those remarks by discussing domestic deployments of the military, like the one you are heralding today, saying, 'This is going to be a big thing for the people in this room, because it's the enemy from within.' He continued, the military 'should use some of these dangerous cities as training grounds.' Memphians are not enemies; they are Americans. They are entitled to constitutional rights, not their government working to "intimidate, demoralize, hunt and kill" them. We are not a training ground or target practice. "Maximum lethality" is no way to treat fellow Americans. Memphis is one of America's great cities with world-renowned cultural gifts, generous people, and a vibrant community.

"If the real purpose of the Memphis Safety Task Force is public safety, we must be more collaborative. I implore you to drop the wartime rhetoric and footing. I implore you to listen and respond to Memphians, coordinate with the City and County, communicate with my office, and invest in what has been working. We need long-term solutions, not political photo ops.

Sincerely,

Steve Cohen

Member of Congress "

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