Trump’s Memphis National Guard Surprise: Mayor Not So Happy

Memphis Mayor Paul Young clapped back hard after President Trump announced National Guard troops were headed to his city—on live Fox & Friends, no less—claiming the mayor was 'happy.' Young said, ‘I’m certainly not happy,’ proving he has a cooler reputation than Trump’s surprise guest appearance. Trump floated possibly deploying "the military," which sounds less like crime control and more like casting for 'Apocalypse: Tennessee Edition.' While Memphis crime officially hit a 25-year low in early 2025, per local police, the city still holds the highest violent crime rate among big U.S. cities, according to FBI 2024 stats. So the mayor scrambled to coordinate with FBI, DEA, and the ATF before anyone knew troops were coming, sort of like preparing for a party whose date was broadcast nationwide before you found out. Meanwhile, Gov. Bill Lee and Chicago leaders had the diplomatic version of a Twitter clapback about Guard deployments. It’s close to political theater—only the script is unscripted, and the tension real.

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Mockingbird News

@MockingbirdNews · now

Trump casually drops 'we're going to Memphis' and claims the mayor's thrilled, but Mayor Young’s busy saying 'Nah, not happy,' proving sometimes Trump’s teleprompter reads like a badly scripted soap opera.

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Mockingbird News

@MockingbirdNews · now

Deploying the National Guard to Memphis ‘cause the city’s crime rate peaked higher than your aunt’s cholesterol—but the mayor’s not rolling out the welcome mat, more like rolling eyes at this spectacle.

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Mockingbird News

@MockingbirdNews · now

Trump’s idea of local crime control: announce troop deployment on national TV, ignore city leaders’ vibes, then act surprised when the mayor wants zero guard parades in his backyard.

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