President Donald Trump said Friday he is sending the National Guard to Memphis to address crime concerns.
The second-term Republican made the announcement from a guest appearance on the network television show Fox and Friends. It comes after days of speculation and comments from the governor and mayor about crime.
Gov. Bill Lee said Wednesday he was sending 50 members of the Tennessee Highway Patrol to Memphis.
Memphis Mayor Paul Young said in a statement Thursday that he was aware of discussions about the National Guard coming to the city.
“We agree with Governor Lee that effective support for Memphis comes through focused initiatives that deliver results like we have seen with the FBI, state troopers, and other law enforcement partnerships,” Young said in the statement posted on WREG. “What we need most are financial resources for intervention and prevention, additional patrol officers, and case support to strengthen MPD’s investigations. Memphis is already making measurable progress in bringing down crime, and we support initiatives that help accelerate the pace of the work our officers, community partners, and residents are doing every day.”
(This is a developing story. Check back for updates.)
