In brief
During a recent announcement at the White House, President Donald Trump unveiled plans to tackle crime in Memphis, Tennessee, with the help of a new task force deploying federal resources including the National Guard. This initiative comes after previous efforts to address crime in cities such as Washington DC. Opposition from Memphis Mayor Paul Young highlights the local concern regarding federal interventions amidst a backdrop of improving crime rates in the city.
US President Donald Trump, joined by Tennessee's Republican Governor Bill Lee, on Monday established a task force to take on crime in Memphis, Tennessee.
The Democratic-led city is the second to face a Trump administration crackdown on crime, following Washington DC.
Trump has vowed to fix the city after shelving plans for a similar operation in Chicago, reportedly due to opposition from local and state officials.
Memphis' mayor, Paul Young, also has voiced opposition to the plan, arguing that crime already is falling without federal intervention.
The president said on Monday, however, that Memphis is overrun with carjackings, robberies and shootings, as well as other crimes.
We're not going to allow this kind of savagery to destroy our society anymore, Trump said at a memorandum-signing in the Oval Office.
Lee praised his efforts for sustained crime lowering in the state.
In an interview with CNN, Young expressed his concerns about the federal plans to deploy the National Guard to Memphis, emphasizing the importance of local engagement in these decisions.
FBI statistics show that Memphis has one of the highest violent crime rates in the country, which prompted the president's urgent measures.
