The Governor (Republican) of the state is happy….
The Mayor (Democrat) there isn’t….
President Trump on Friday said that he would send National Guard troops to Memphis, making it the latest Democratic-led city that his administration has targeted as part of a federal crackdown on crime.
The state’s governor and other top Tennessee Republicans quickly embraced the proposal. But Memphis’s mayor, a Democrat, expressed frustration and concern that in the long run the move would not help a city that has some of the nation’s highest crime rates.
Speaking on “Fox & Friends,” Mr. Trump did not say when troops would be deployed in a city he called “deeply troubled.” But he confirmed that his plan included National Guard troops “and anybody else we need.”
Mr. Trump added, “We’ll bring in the military, too, if we need it.” He recounted a conversation with an unidentified person on the board of FedEx, which is headquartered in Memphis, about their concerns about safety in the city.
Gov. Bill Lee, a Republican, in a statement after Mr. Trump’s comments, said that he would be speaking with the president Friday afternoon to discuss details of the deployment. He said the National Guard would be part of “a comprehensive mission” with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Memphis police, and state highway patrol to build on existing law enforcement work.
“We are working closely with the Trump administration to determine the most effective role for each of these agencies to best serve Memphians,” Mr. Lee said in a statement. He added, “Memphis remains on a path to greatness, and we are not going to let anything hold them back.”
Mayor Paul Young of Memphis said he had been informed about the possibility of National Guard troops being sent with the approval of both Mr. Trump and Mr. Lee. But after Mr. Trump said on television that “the mayor is happy” with the decision, Mr. Young called that characterization an “overstatement.”
“I did not ask for the National Guard and I don’t think it is the way to drive down crime,” Mr. Young said at a news conference, where he noted that it was not a decision the mayor could make. “However, that decision has been made.”
He reiterated that crime had decreased in the city, which has long been plagued with high crime, and noted the Memphis Police Department announced on Monday what it said was a six-year low in the murder rate. Still, Mr. Young acknowledged that there was more to be done.
“The crime is still too high, and there’s still too many victims,” he said, adding, “My ultimate goal is to make sure that we get a long-term partnership and commitment with the state, federal government, community partners that we are going to address the root causes of violent crime.”
Unlike most of the other cities into which Mr. Trump has either sent or contemplated sending federal agents, Memphis is in a state with a Republican supermajority that has been openly supportive of the president’s agenda. In the interview with Fox & Friends, Mr. Trump acknowledged that he “would have preferred” Chicago to be the next focus for a federal mobilization, but he suggested that in Memphis, “the people will greet us.”…..