United States Attorney General Pam Bondi and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth arrived Wednesday in Memphis to meet with Memphis Safe Task Force partners.
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — United States Attorney General Pam Bondi and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth arrived Wednesday in Memphis to meet with Tennessee officials as National Guard troops begin stepping foot on city streets.
White House officials addressed Memphis Safe Task Force officials inside the Shelby County Operations Center in the afternoon, joined by Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee
“We’re here to back you up, to be your partner,” Bondi said. “Be safe. Thank you for what you do. There’s no higher calling than being a police officer, especially in a violent world in which we live.”
She continued to warn that anyone who touches law enforcement officers will be arrested, vowing to protect officers so they can protect the citizens of Memphis.
Hegseth shared that President Donald Trump is paying attention to Memphis and viewing the data coming out of the city, caring about the livelihoods of the people there.
White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller told law enforcement that they will use their resources to stomp down on crime.
“Our mission here is very simple: Zero tolerance for crime in the City of Memphis,” Miller said.
Guard troops were seen at the Memphis Safe Task Force staging area off of Mullins Station Road on Wednesday afternoon.
Earlier on Wednesday, Bondi said that 53 arrests had been made and 20 illegal firearms have been seized in two days of the Memphis Safe Task Force.
The new initiative launched Monday as part of the presidential order signed by Donald Trump, which sent 13 state and federal law enforcement agencies to Memphis.
Lee previously said the deployment will be a “phased approach” that will last over the next several weeks and months.
According to the city officials, the National Guard will be easily identifiable in their standard uniforms and will not wear masks. The city also confirmed that armored tanks will not be used during the mission. Guard troops will also not be armed at the beginning, neither will they make arrests or issue warrants.
The 13 agencies involved in the operation include members of the FBI, ATF and DEA. Lee said the U.S. Marshals Service will be the primary organizer of the mission, though the Memphis Police Department will be involved in the deployment of the federal resources.
The governor also announced that the state will be providing $100 million in grants geared toward crime reduction in Memphis. But specifics on that $100 million have yet to be released.
Memphis Police Chief Cerelyn “C.J.” Davis said much of the operation remains unclear, particularly how these new federal elements will align with local law enforcement strategies.
City leaders said Tuesday, Sept. 30, was the first time they received any formal structure around the plan, and that information is still arriving rapidly, sometimes without clear answers.
Mayor Young said he expects Attorney General Bondi and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth to visit Memphis to assess progress on the operation, but a date has not been finalized.
