Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Restores Law and Order in Memphis

MAKING MEMPHIS SAFE AGAIN: Today, President Donald J. Trump signed a Presidential Memorandum to address rampant crime in Memphis, Tennessee.

• The Memorandum establishes a Memphis Safe Task Force tasked with ending street and violent crime in Memphis to the greatest possible extent, including by coordinating closely with State and local officials in Tennessee, Memphis, and neighboring jurisdictions to share information, develop joint priorities, and maximize resources to make Memphis safe and restore public order.
  • The task force will be comprised of members of key government agencies and is encouraged to utilize the strategies and principles developed during the District of Columbia crime crackdown to address violent and property crime in Memphis.
  • The task force is authorized to request operational assistance from and coordinate with the Memphis Police Department, the Tennessee Highway Patrol, the Memphis Area Transit Authority, a number of other key law enforcement departments and agencies throughout Tennessee and in Memphis, and other officials as permitted by law.
• The Memorandum tasks the Secretary of War with requesting the Governor of Tennessee make Tennessee National Guard units available to support public safety and law enforcement operations in Memphis.
• The Memorandum also directs the Secretary of War to coordinate with State Governors to mobilize National Guard personnel from those states to support this effort.

RESTORING LAW AND ORDER: Memphis is suffering from tremendous levels of violent crime that have overwhelmed its local government's ability to respond effectively, prompting State and local leaders to request Federal assistance to restore public safety and order.

• Memphis is a beacon of American culture that was Elvis's home, is often called the birthplace of rock and roll and the blues, and is home to historic landmarks such as Graceland, Beale Street, and the Memphis Pyramid.
• According to FBI data, Memphis had the highest violent crime rate in the country in 2024.
• Memphis has some of the highest rates of murder, robbery, aggravated assault, and property crimes in the nation.
• Memphis's murder rate is roughly four times higher than that of Mexico City, Mexico and 27 times higher than that of communist-run Havana, Cuba.
• This year, Memphis has seen 150 murders so far - far too high a number.
• The Governor of Tennessee has requested the Federal government's assistance to restore order in Memphis.

MAKING AMERICA SAFE AGAIN: The American people elected President Trump to restore law and order in communities across the United States.

• President Trump established a Make the District of Columbia Safe and Beautiful task force and deployed the National Guard to Washington, D.C. to rebuild it from a "nightmare of murder and crime" into the safest and most beautiful capital in the world.
  • As a result of the President's intervention, crime in D.C. has fallen dramatically.
• President Trump mentioned he would "put that early on the list" when asked what he could do do help Memphis's crime problem.
• Immediately upon taking office, President Trump launched the largest deporation operation in our nation's history to remove criminal illegal aliens who threaten public safety and national security.
• Every American deserves to be safe, and President Trump is dedicated to making cities secure again by deploying Federal resources to stop the violence.