WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump went to Memphis to celebrate a sharp reported drop in violent crime, and used the moment to argue that aggressive federal intervention can restore order in troubled American cities.
At a roundtable on Monday, Trump presented the city as a model for his law-and-order approach.
“We’ve achieved one of the largest, fastest declines in violent crime ever recorded, ” Trump said, citing a 60 per cent drop in robberies, a 74 per cent fall in carjackings and motor vehicle thefts, and a 70 per cent reduction in murders from their peak.
The task force, launched in September 2025 and modelled on a similar initiative in Washington, brought together federal, state, and local agencies, as well as the National Guard.
US Marshals Service Director Gady Serralta said the operation had made “over 7, 342 arrests” in just over six months, including 44 homicide cases, 812 drug offences, and 757 gang-related offences. He added that more than 1, 200 illegal firearms had been seized and 150 missing children located and returned.