WASHINGTON: US Pre­sident Donald Trump said on Friday he would deploy National Guard troops to Memphis, Tenn­e­ssee, in the latest stage of his crime crackdown that critics say is authoritarian.

The Republican president has sent military forces into Los Angeles and Washington, and pledged to expand orders to other cities including Chicago and New York.

Some locals have welcomed the patrols, while other residents have complained of the soldiers being unsuitable for tackling crime and of the operation largely targeting immigrants.

“We’re going to Mem­p­his. Memphis is deeply tro­ubled. The mayor is happy, the governor is happy... We’re going to fix that just like we did Wash­i­ngton,” Trump told Fox News.

Memphis, a Black-maj­o­rity city, has a Democratic mayor, while Tennessee state has a Republican governor. The Trump administration this week launched a new immigration enforcement operation in Chicago.

Trump has repeatedly threatened to send Nati­onal Guard troops into the city, sparring with Illinois state Governor J. B. Pritzker, a Democrat, in soc­ial media posts.

Published in Dawn, September 13th, 2025