President Trump Announces DC-Style Crime Crackdown In Memphis After Shocking Violent Crime Surge, Says “We Have To Save Our Country From Violent Crime”
President Donald Trump has announced a sweeping new plan to crack down on violent crime in Memphis, Tennessee, after shocking numbers revealed just how dangerous the city has become. Sitting in the Oval Office alongside Tennessee Republican Governor Bill Lee, Trump signed an order for what he described as a “DC-style crime crackdown” aimed at getting violent offenders and career criminals off the streets. His words were firm, filled with urgency, and underscored by a chilling reminder of the realities Memphis residents face every day.
“We have to save our country from violent crime,” Trump declared as he outlined the plan. He explained that federal law enforcement agencies will be fully deployed, using every tool available to restore public safety. “Our team will deploy the full powers of federal law enforcement agencies and enforcement generally to restore public safety and get dangerous career criminals off of our streets,” he said. The decision, he emphasized, is not just about crime statistics but about protecting families and communities from daily violence.
Trump laid out the staggering reality of crime in Memphis. In 2024, the city had the highest violent crime rate in the country, the highest property crime rate, and the third highest murder rate. He even noted that a person is four times more likely to be murdered in Memphis than in Mexico City, a comparison that drew gasps and underscored the gravity of the crisis. With carjackings, robberies, shootings, and assaults overwhelming the community, he argued that federal intervention was not just necessary, but overdue.
One of the most disturbing examples he shared was the story of an elderly woman who was brutally carjacked outside of a movie theater. She was dragged out of her car and body-slammed into the pavement by a violent criminal. According to Trump, she is still struggling to recover and may never fully heal from the attack. “We are not going to allow this kind of savagery to destroy our society anymore,” Trump said, his voice firm as he described the crackdown as a fight to restore safety, one dangerous criminal at a time.
Memphis has long battled crime, but the surge in recent years has been devastating. The statistics from last year alone included 249 murders, 429 rapes, 5,616 burglaries, and 12,522 violent assaults. Trump did not shy away from pointing out the scale of the problem, saying that even 2025 began with more violence until the FBI was sent down recently to assess the situation. He made it clear that the crackdown will not be easy or enjoyable, but it is essential. “It’s not fun. We’re going to have to do it again and again until our cities are safe,” he said.
Governor Lee, standing firmly with Trump, pledged Tennessee’s full support in the effort. For many Memphis residents, the announcement may offer a glimmer of hope that real action will finally be taken to address crime in their neighborhoods. But it also serves as a stark reminder of just how serious the problem has become, and how high the stakes are for families who simply want to live without fear.
This announcement marks one of the boldest moves yet in addressing urban crime, and whether it succeeds will be closely watched across the nation. But one thing was clear in Trump’s Oval Office remarks: the days of ignoring Memphis’s violent crime crisis are over, and the fight to reclaim safety has begun.
