MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WMC) – In East Memphis Thursday night, the Shelby County Republican Party hosted a rally and news conference welcoming the National Guard to Memphis.
“The Republican Party of Shelby County knows that you want safety in your neighborhoods, you want criminals behind bars,” party Vice-Chair Luke Cymbal told a cheering crowd.
Tennessee Senator Brent Taylor (R-Memphis) at welcome rally for National Guard in Memphis, Thursday, Sept. 18, 2025(Action News 5)
Local GOP leaders, including State Senator Brent Taylor, State Representative John Gillespie, and Shelby County Commissioners Brandon Morrison, Amber Mills and Mick Wright, were flanked by dozens of citizens waving the American flag.
Each thanked President Donald Trump and the federal agencies that are preparing to crack down on Memphis crime.
“I believe the Democrats have this one wrong,” said Commissioner Morrison, “We’re all tired of seeing our friends and neighbors leave our city, and it’s because of the safety issue.”
“If the city council worked as hard fighting crime as they are fighting Donald Trump bringing federal resources to Memphis,” said Sen. Taylor, “we wouldn’t have to have the National Guard here to begin with.”
Earlier in the day, six of the 13 Memphis City Council members opposed to the president’s plan hosted their own news conference with other elected leaders and local activists.
“If we truly believe that all men are created equal,” said Councilman JB Smiley, “why are we inviting someone who doesn’t like us into our community to try to govern us? We don’t need to be governed.”
Several city leaders voiced their displeasure with President Donald Trump’s decision to deploy the National Guard in the city on Thursday.
The council is working on a resolution for the next Memphis City Council meeting on September 23 that will formally ask Tennessee Governor Bill Lee not to send the National Guard to Memphis.
Councilwoman Jerri Green says they’re also taking a look at legal options to get the National Guard removed from Memphis.
“And I have to wait until they get here and start terrorizing our community before I can talk to you about what challenges we can make, whether it be on the state level or federal level,” she told the crowd gathered downtown at Memphis City Hall.
Back at the GOP event, Melanie Mosley, president of the Whitehaven Republican Club, says criminals are the ones terrorizing the city.
“Have you ever had a gun to your face, and they tell you to give up your purse, give up your keys, or give me your car? Have they ever had anyone in their family, their children… be murdered in this city? That’s terrorizing,” said Mosley.
Mosley’s friend, Daisy Shotwell, said she switched from the Democratic to the Republican party more than a decade ago in part because of the city’s rising crime problem. She’s ready for the National Guard’s arrival in Memphis, and she praised President Trump for making it happen.
Daisy Shotwell, Memphis Republican(Action News 5)
“This is an answer to a prayer,” said Shotwell, “Me and others have been praying not only for Memphis, but for the U.S. of A., that we would bring change. Is President Trump perfect? No. But he’s the perfect one for the assignment that we have right now for what we’re dealing with.”
An unapologetic crowd in red stated in no uncertain terms that they’re ready to see law and order return to the city they love.
“We are going to make it clear to the nation,” said Cymbal, “we appreciate efforts to clean up our city, and we’re going to take our city back. It’s time for the majority of law-abiding citizens to no longer live in fear.”
Sources tell Action News 5 that the Memphis Safe Task Force, which includes the FBI, ATF, DEA and U.S. Marshals Service, arrives in the next 10 to 14 days.
Between 100 and 150 members of the Tennessee National Guard, soldiers from our state, will be a part of that task force, mainly handling administrative duties while federal agents track down and arrest the worst of the worst criminals in the city.
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