Tennessee Governor Bill Lee spoke about the arrival of the National Guard and federal agencies in Memphis, Tennessee, during a news conference held on Friday, September 26, 2025. The briefing included comments from Memphis Police Chief CJ Davis and was covered by Patrick Lantrip of the Daily Memphian.
—
**Memphis Gears Up for National Guard Deployment to Combat Crime**
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — For two weeks, Memphis has been preparing for an influx of National Guard troops after President Donald Trump announced plans to deploy them to the city. On Friday, residents received more details about the operation, which promises to differ significantly from previous deployments in Los Angeles and Washington, D.C.
Governor Bill Lee revealed that the troops will be part of a larger surge of federal resources aimed at fighting crime in Memphis. This effort includes collaboration from 13 federal agencies alongside state troopers.
The National Guard units will be composed of Tennessee troops who will be deputized by the U.S. Marshals Service to support local law enforcement efforts. Governor Lee emphasized that the soldiers will not make arrests and will remain unarmed unless there is a specific request from local law enforcement officials.
Although Governor Lee initially estimated that fewer than 150 Guard members would be deployed, he later clarified that final numbers are still being planned.
> “The story of crime in Memphis is about to be a story of the past,” Lee said during the news conference, where he was joined by city, state, and federal officials including the Memphis mayor and police chief.
The newly formed “Memphis Safe Task Force” is scheduled to begin operations next week, though Governor Lee could not provide a specific timeline for the phased rollout of each participating agency’s resources. However, he confirmed that agents from the FBI, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) will arrive next week.
Importantly, Governor Lee stated he will not declare a state of emergency.
> “Memphis is a world-class city. Before us, we have a generational opportunity to make Memphis a safe city,” he affirmed.
According to a post on the city’s official website:
– Guardsmen and women will be easily identifiable in their standard daily uniforms.
– They will not be wearing masks.
– Armored tanks will not be used as part of the mission.
President Donald Trump first announced his plan to send the National Guard to Memphis during an appearance on Fox News on September 12. He then signed an order establishing the task force on September 15.
—
Stay informed about this developing story and more by subscribing to trusted news sources.
—
**Community Guidance:**
– Please keep discussions respectful and free from obscene, vulgar, racist, or sexually explicit language.
– Refrain from using all caps.
– Threats of violence will not be tolerated.
– Share truthful information and refrain from knowingly spreading falsehoods.
– Maintain kindness in comments; avoid degrading language of any kind.
– Use available tools to report abusive or inappropriate posts.
– We welcome eyewitness accounts and insights that add context to our stories.
—
**Event Highlight:**
The Philadelphia Tribune honored influential Black Philadelphians making significant impacts in the area at the 2025 Most Influential African Americans event held on Thursday evening, September 18, 2025.
—
*Photo Credits: Patrick Lantrip/Daily Memphian via AP*
https://www.phillytrib.com/news/across_america/tennessee-governor-says-more-federal-agents-to-join-fight-against-crime-in-memphis-next-week/article_f66c4e91-fac1-4e92-a531-ea50b0da0e65.html
