With bombs falling in Iran, U.S. allies alienated, gas prices skyrocketing and inflation accelerating, President Donald Trump is set to arrive in Memphis for a victory lap — to mark the successes of the Memphis Safe Task Force since its deployment last fall.
Multiple news outlets report that the visit is expected to take place at the Tennessee Air National Guard Base, near Memphis International Airport.
At the heart of the visit is the Memphis Safe Task Force, a multi-agency federal effort launched last year that has focused on violent crime, gun offenses and coordinated enforcement. Federal officials have pointed to arrests and gun seizures as evidence of its effectiveness, framing Memphis as an example of how targeted federal support can assist local law enforcement.
But the narrative is far from settled. U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen, whose district includes Memphis, has sharply questioned both the premise and the timing of the visit.
“With everything going on in the world — war in Iran and its disruption of oil shipments and gas price spikes, war in Ukraine, and who knows what in Venezuela and Cuba — the president has decided it’s a good time to come to Memphis and talk about the Memphis Safe Task Force.”
In a statement released ahead of Monday’s trip, Cohen argued that crime in Memphis had already been declining prior to the task force’s arrival and credited local leadership — including Mayor Paul Young and Police Chief Cerelyn “CJ” Davis — with driving that progress.
He’s more concerned with the psychological and economic impacts of having boots on the ground in Memphis.
“I was and remain concerned about the image the surge in federal manpower and the presence of the National Guard sends the country, and its effect on local tourism and business generally,” he said.
Meanwhile, Gov. Bill Lee is defending his decision to deploy the Tennessee National Guard to Memphis at the request of Donald Trump — a move that remains tied up in an ongoing legal battle.
A Davidson County judge previously ruled against the deployment, siding with local and state officials who argued that the governor lacked the authority to send troops into Memphis absent a formal request from local leadership, a clear state of emergency or permission from the Tennessee Legislature.
That ruling has been put on hold while the case moves through the Tennessee Court of Appeals, allowing the Guard to remain in place for now.
At the heart of the dispute is a fundamental question: under what circumstances can military forces be used in civilian law enforcement?
Plaintiffs in the case — including Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris and other Democratic officials — have argued that Memphis does not meet the legal threshold for such a deployment, which under state law is typically reserved for situations involving rebellion, invasion or extreme emergency.
Lee and other state officials, meanwhile, have maintained that the governor has broad authority as commander in chief of the Tennessee National Guard and that the deployment is both legal and necessary to address violent crime.
The case has implications that extend well beyond Memphis, potentially shaping how and when state and federal leaders can use military resources in cities across the country.
Local Leaders React
Local elected officials and activists were quick to weigh in ahead of the visit, with reactions ranging from skepticism to outright opposition.
Memphis City Councilman JB Smiley Jr., who is also a candidate for Shelby County mayor, was blunt in a Facebook post: “Let me say this — Donald Trump isn’t wanted in Shelby County.”
Shelby County General Sessions Court Clerk Tami Sawyer questioned the broader intent of the visit, suggesting it may be less about the city itself and more about a national agenda.
“I don’t believe tomorrow’s visit is about Memphis,” Sawyer wrote on Facebook. “I’ll be surprised if an announcement isn’t made that impacts the entire country but uses Memphis as either a scapegoat or platform.”
Cohen, meanwhile, has focused his criticism on both the message and the policy behind the visit.
“In the long run, what we need from the President is a commitment to improve affordable housing, enhance educational opportunities, strengthen workforce development efforts, address the affordability crisis, reduce poverty,” Cohen said. “Unless he is talking about long-term investments to support our community, his trip will not have been beneficial to Memphis.”
Tennessee State Rep. Justin J. Pearson, a primary challenger to Cohen, rolled back the red carpet.
“Listen, he ain’t welcome here, mane,” Pearson said on a Facebook video. “He’s trying to use us as part of his authoritarian playbook, his scheme to treat our city as a pawn. This is a beautiful place, but we don’t want him here.”
Pearson called Trump a racist for his recent posting of racist images of Barack and Michelle Obama and an Iran War he calls “unwinnable” and calls for Memphians to join in protest.
He hasn’t actually helped contribute any of the necessary resources to reduce poverty,” Pearson said. “This man is using us, we demand poverty eradication and not military occupation.”
