POLITICS

FACT CHECK: Trump Plans National Guard Deployment to Memphis — But Crime Has Already Dropped 44%

By The ClearScope Network | @ClearScopeNet

Despite a dramatic drop in crime, President Donald Trump announced Friday that he plans to deploy the National Guard to Memphis, Tennessee—a move he claimed would “fix” the city, despite clear evidence that local crime has already fallen significantly.

“Memphis is deeply troubled,” Trump said during an appearance on Fox & Friends. “We’re going to fix that, just like we did in Washington.”

But city data tells a very different story.

As of September 11, 2025, Memphis has seen a 44% reduction in overall crime compared to the same period in 2024. The number of reported incidents dropped from 53,805 last year to 29,978 so far this year. Homicides are down nearly 30%, falling from 261 to 182.

Still, Trump indicated that he’s considering not just National Guard troops, but potentially federal forces and even the military as part of his plan.

“And anybody else we need,” Trump added.

Conflicting Messages from Officials

While Trump claimed that both the governor and mayor were “happy” with the plan, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee’s office released a more cautious statement on Friday, saying only that he would speak with Trump to “work out the details.”

In a post on X, Gov. Lee said:

“I’m grateful for the President’s unwavering support and commitment to providing every resource necessary to serve Memphians.”

Memphis Mayor Paul Young, however, gave a more nuanced response during a news conference Friday. While confirming that the National Guard will be sent, he made it clear that he did not request the deployment.

“When will they come? How many people are gonna come? How long will they be here? What are they going to wear?” Young asked.

A Pattern of Political Targeting?

Trump’s push to send federal forces into cities led by Democrats has drawn national scrutiny in recent weeks. He previously floated deploying troops to Chicago, a move that was sharply condemned by both Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and Mayor Brandon Johnson.

“I want to help people, not hurt them,” Pritzker wrote on X this week. “Says the guy who just threatened an American city with the Department of War.”

The announcement comes as Trump touts his federal surge in Washington, D.C., where National Guard troops patrolled the streets until the operation ended earlier this week. However, D.C. crime was already declining before the deployment began.

As of Friday, D.C. has seen a nearly 8% drop in crime year over year, with 17,806 incidents reported in 2025 compared to 19,501 during the same period in 2024.

D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser responded Friday by reaffirming the city’s commitment to working with federal agencies—but under local leadership.

“We’re going to continue to partner in ways that make sense for D.C. safety,” she said.

Meanwhile, D.C. Attorney General Brian L. Schwalb recently filed a lawsuit seeking to end what he described as a “military occupation.”

REPORT: NYC Mayor Eric Adams Privately Suggests He Might Exit 2025 Race

By The ClearScope Network | @ClearScopeNet

In a private meeting this week with top New York City business leaders, Mayor Eric Adams reportedly signaled that he may consider ending his re-election campaign—if he believes he can’t win.

While Adams has publicly maintained that he’s staying in the race, his behind-closed-doors remarks suggest he’s weighing his chances more seriously than he’s letting on.

The comments came during a closed-door session on Wednesday with the Association for a Better New York, a powerful civic group based in Manhattan. According to five people who were present, Adams acknowledged the possibility of stepping aside under certain conditions.

Multiple attendees recalled Adams saying that the outcome of the 2025 mayoral race would come down to the final stretch—and that if he concluded he had no path to victory, he would consider leaving the race.

Three attendees also remembered Adams commenting on former Governor Andrew Cuomo, who recently launched a bid for mayor. While Adams and Cuomo have a tense relationship—Adams recently referred to Cuomo as a “snake”—he reportedly said that his love for New York would outweigh his personal feelings if stepping aside would help prevent a worse outcome.

Adams also raised concerns about Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic nominee who’s currently leading in several polls. According to two attendees, Adams said he believed Mamdani posed a serious risk to the city, and suggested he did not want to inadvertently help elect him by staying in the race and splitting the vote.

No Final Decision — Yet

Adams told the group he plans to conduct his own private polling to help guide his next steps. Attendees described him as conflicted but still committed—for now—to moving forward with the campaign. He made no official declaration about withdrawing.

While there was no definitive commitment either way, those present said the mayor’s tone hinted at someone who is carefully evaluating the political landscape and keeping his options open.

Adams’s campaign has since pushed back on the characterization of the meeting. Todd Shapiro, a spokesperson for the mayor, claimed Adams never "alluded to leaving the race" during the conversation—though he did confirm that other details from the session were accurate.

This latest development adds to a growing list of uncertainties around the 2025 mayoral race, which has already seen an unusual early shake-up with Cuomo’s return and Mamdani’s unexpected lead.

Adams, elected in 2021, has faced mounting challenges during his first term, including criticism over policing, migrant housing, and public safety. Now, with polling numbers slipping and credible challengers in the race, his political future appears less certain than ever.