President Donald Trump said on Thursday he will move Memphis, Tennessee, to a position “early on the list” of cities where federal law enforcement is set to receive some form of federal support, following the federalization of the Washington, D.C. police force, during a Thursday appearance on “The Todd Starnes Show.”
Citing the president’s August 11 decision to invoke his authority to federalize Washington, D.C. police and activate the National Guard, the talk show host asked Trump whether he planned to offer support to Memphis, which FBI Director Kash Patel recently called the “homicide capital” of the United States.
“I will be,” said Trump, before describing his efforts in the nation’s capital as a “sort of a test” that is “working unbelievably,” and noting his appreciation for Tennessee’s Republican voters.
Trump told Starnes, “I love Tennessee, you know, I won Tennessee by many, many, many points. It was a landslide.” He added, “Republicans do good in Tennessee, but my number was like 35 points.”
Of Memphis, the president told Starnes, “I’m glad you’re telling me that. I can put that early on our list, and I’m sure the people would love it.”
.@POTUS tells @toddstarnes he’s going to put Memphis — the homicide capital of the country — “early on the list” of crime-ridden cities he’s cracking down on.
Thank you, Mr. President. pic.twitter.com/KYfOd8XtOe
— Ben Deeter (@benpdeeter) August 21, 2025
Trump was notably able to federalize police using the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, but he has the authority to activate the National Guard for various purposes, including to protect federal buildings. The president used this authority earlier this year in California, when U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents were attacked during their duties.
The president also said that he planned to join law enforcement members on Thursday as they patrol Washington, D.C. at night.
“I’m going to be out tonight, I’m going to keep it a secret,” the president stated. “I think with the police, and with the military of course, we’re going to do a job.”
🚨 @POTUS on Making D.C. Safe Again: "I'm going to be going out tonight, I think, with the police and with the military, of course. We're going to do a job." pic.twitter.com/lLXkH6jvam
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) August 21, 2025
More than 550 arrests have been reported in the capital since Trump announced the crackdown on crime, including 94 who were arrested in one night, and 25 arrests of individuals in the United States illegally.
Trump recently compared the progress of his crime crackdown to the administration’s efforts to seal the southern border in a post to Truth Social, where he wrote, “We have just begun the process of revival.”
Though Trump did not offer specifics on his plans for other cities, the U.S. Marshals Service recently announced that it worked with local law enforcement to arrest 141 individuals described as violent fugitives in Memphis.
Watch Trump’s full remarks about Memphis:
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Tom Pappert is the lead reporter for The Tennessee Star, and also reports for The Pennsylvania Daily Star and The Arizona Sun Times. Follow Tom on X/Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
