Marsha Blackburn & Andy Ogles Support National Guard Deployment To Memphis, Governor Lee Says Nothing “Off the Table”

Image Credit: @RepOgles / X , @MarshaBlackburn / X, @GovBillLee / X & Canva

The Tennessee Conservative [By Adelia Kirchner] –

U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) and U.S. Representative Andy Ogles (R-TN-District 5) have expressed public support for potential National Guard deployment to the city of Memphis. 

“Blue cities like Memphis need all the help they can get to combat violent crime and I’m grateful for President Trump’s tremendous work to hold leftist officials accountable for putting their own citizens at risk by pushing soft-on-crime agendas,” Blackburn told FOXNews. “I support the Trump administration’s efforts to restore law and order in lawless cities across America, and I’ll continue to work with the President, Attorney General Bondi, and Director Patel to do whatever it takes to make cities like Memphis safe again.”

Rep. Ogles went a step further when he posted a similar statement to social media, saying that the National Guard should also be sent to Nashville.

“We don’t just need the National Guard in Memphis, send them to Nashville,” wrote Ogles. “Comrade O’Connell is using the city as an outpost for international gangs to set up shop in our neighborhoods. Punish criminals and the mayors who work for them.”

This is by no means the first time Ogles has specifically called out Mayor Freddie O’Connell for contributing to the degradation of Nashville.

During a “Stop the Invasion” press conference in May, Ogles said he found it offensive that O’Connell would “politicize the role of Metro’s Police Department” in regard to cooperation with ICE on immigration enforcement.

Ogles also announced that same day that the Department of Homeland Security would be conducting an investigation into the city mayor due to “the remarks of Freddie O’Connell and the potential for aiding and abetting illegal immigration.”

Meanwhile, it seems Governor Bill Lee (R-TN) has changed his tune on potential national guard deployment to Memphis since talking to reporters just last week, that his office had no plans to put the National Guard in the West Tennessee city.

At the time, Lee said there were no existing circumstances within the state of Tennessee that warranted such action. 

“We’re not talking about that right now. It’s not a consideration for us,” said Lee. “We’ve had no conversations with the president or his team about National Guard in Memphis.”

However, Lee told Channel 2 News on the issue this week, “there is nothing that is off the table.” 

“What hasn’t changed is my commitment to addressing crime in Memphis,” the governor stated. “We have poured a significant funding for violent crime intervention grant funds. We’ve increased the number of highway patrol and will continue to increase the numbers into that community.”

Conversation about whether sending the National Guard to Memphis would help tame crime in the city started up after President Donald Trump told conservative radio host Todd Starnes that he would “think about” Memphis.

When Starnes asked Trump if the federal government had plans to address the high crime rate in Memphis, the president explained that they are currently doing a test run in DC.

“It’s working unbelievably. Much faster than we thought. We’ve arrested hundreds of criminals, hardline criminals. I don’t care what they say,” Trump said, adding that he was putting Memphis “early on the list” of potential cities to see a national guard deployment.

About the Author: Adelia Kirchner is a Tennessee resident and reporter for the Tennessee Conservative. Currently the host of Subtle Rampage Podcast, she has also worked for the South Dakota State Legislature and interned for Senator Bill Hagerty’s Office in Nashville, Tennessee.  You can reach Adelia at adelia@tennesseeconservativenews.com.