President Donald Trump’s decision to federalize Memphis, Tenn., is showing early signs of success, with crime rates falling as thousands of federal agents carry out arrests.
Following his earlier efforts to restore order in Washington, D.C., Trump announced in early September that the National Guard would be deployed to Memphis. He also established a joint task force bringing together the FBI, ATF, and Department of Justice to coordinate a citywide crime crackdown that began on Sept. 29.
As of Thursday, authorities have made 2,213 arrests as part of Trump’s federal crime crackdown in Memphis, according to a daily police report obtained exclusively by The Daily Caller. The operation has so far resulted in the capture of 139 known gang members, the seizure of 379 firearms, and the recovery of 97 missing children.
“The numbers clearly show that Memphis is safer thanks to President Trump’s federal surge,” Attorney General Pam Bondi told the Caller in a statement.
“Our agents from the FBI, DEA, US Marshals, and ATF have done incredible work alongside HSI and local police to combat violent crime and restore safety to an iconic American city. Tolerating crime is a choice, and this Department of Justice chooses law and order,” she added.
On Thursday, 1,639 federal agents representing 31 agencies were deployed across Memphis as part of the ongoing federal crime crackdown, according to a daily police report obtained by The Daily Caller. Additional personnel are expected to join the effort on Friday.
The operation included the arrest of a suspect wanted for attempted first-degree murder, the report shows. A day earlier, another individual was taken into custody on a warrant for second-degree murder. Other notable arrests from Wednesday’s sweep included a suspect charged with rape of a child, aggravated sexual battery, and incest.
The Memphis Police Department continues to publish crime data on the city’s website, covering incidents from Oct. 1 — the day after the operation began — through the present. A 2024 column lists comparable data from the same period last year, according to an administration official who spoke with the outlet.
Since the start of Trump’s federal crackdown, murders in Memphis have declined by 52.38% compared to the same period last year, according to city data. The report also shows significant drops across multiple categories: sexual assaults are down 55.56%, robberies 65.82%, burglaries 33.98%, and aggravated assaults 47.30%.
Motor vehicle thefts have fallen even more sharply — down 79.79% year over year. Overall, crime across those major categories has decreased by 46.65%.
On Friday, an additional 158 members of the National Guard were expected to deploy to assist in the ongoing cleanup operation, the outlet reported, citing an official document.
National Guard troops, as members of the US military, are not authorized to conduct law enforcement actions and make arrests. But they do provide material support for federal agents and act as force multipliers to keep federal facilities secure.
One month after President Trump launched his crime crackdown in Washington, D.C., White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told The Daily Caller that the president is open to partnering with Republican governors to combat rising crime in Democrat-led cities.
“Democrats have tried to argue that red states have higher crime rates while overlooking problems of high crime in blue cities. I’m wondering if the president would consider working with red state governors to fix high crime in blue cities, like in Memphis, Tennessee,” asked Daily Caller White House correspondent Reagan Reese during a recent press conference.
“The President wants to work with anyone across this country who wants to end these horrible policies and to bring law and order to our streets, and I think that is proven by his tremendous cooperation with the mayor of Washington, D.C., and our nation’s capital, and just look at the results of that,” the press secretary responded.
For decades, Democrats have followed a reliable path to the White House: secure California, New York, and Illinois, add key states in the upper Midwest, and edge close to 270 electoral votes.
But by 2032, that formula may no longer work, according to a report last week.
“Population shifts, reapportionment after the 2030 Census, and aggressive redistricting are reshaping the political map in ways that could leave Democrats with far fewer paths to victory,” US Presidential Election News noted.
Americans are leaving high-tax, heavily regulated states like California, New York, and Illinois for Texas, Florida, and the Carolinas — a migration that is reshaping political power, the outlet said.
After the 2030 Census, analysts expect Democratic strongholds to lose seats in Congress, with California, New York, and Illinois all projected to shrink. Texas could gain at least two seats, while Florida is likely to add one.
Each congressional seat equals an electoral vote, meaning Democratic strongholds will lose influence while Republican-leaning states gain clout. Today, Democrats have more than a dozen viable paths to the presidency, but by 2032 their options could narrow to only a few. Even if they hold the “blue wall” of Michigan, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania, the math may not be enough, the report said.
To prevail, Democrats might need to sweep smaller battlegrounds like Nevada, New Hampshire, and Arizona — a single loss could hand the White House to Republicans. By contrast, GOP strength in the South and Sun Belt would leave Republicans with multiple routes to victory, even if they drop a state or two.
The redistricting battle highlights the stakes ahead. GOP-led legislatures in Texas and Florida are expected to fortify their maps, while Democrats are scrambling to hold ground. California has even called a special election to redraw its lines, reflecting party leaders’ growing concern.
Legal fights will continue, but the broader trend is clear: population growth is favoring red states — and no court ruling can change that, the report continued.
“Put together, the census shifts and redistricting trends point to one conclusion: Democrats’ path to the White House is shrinking,” the report added. “Their coalition is concentrated in states that are losing people and losing electoral votes. Meanwhile, Americans are moving to states that are trending red and expanding in influence.”
That’s why 2032 could spell trouble for Democrats. Even with heavy support in California and New York, their share of the Electoral College may fall short, leaving them with only narrow paths to victory while Republicans enjoy multiple routes to 270.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on Friday signed into law a new congressional map aimed at expanding Republican power in the 2026 midterm elections, handing President Donald Trump and House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) another win in their push to secure a GOP majority.
“Texas is now more red in the United States Congress,” Abbott declared in a video on X as he signed the legislation, The Washington Times reported.
The rare mid-decade redistricting, driven by Trump and the Texas GOP, drew fierce protests from Democrats and immediate legal challenges. Voting rights groups filed suit this week, arguing the new lines weaken the electoral influence of black voters.
Texas Democrats also vowed to challenge the map in court, staging a two-week walkout earlier this month before returning under round-the-clock police monitoring to ensure they appeared for debate.
The fight has already reshaped next year’s midterms. Rep. Lloyd Doggett, the longest-serving Democrat in Texas’ delegation, said he would not seek reelection if the new map takes effect. His Austin-based district is slated to be merged with that of fellow Democrat Rep. Greg Casar.
The redistricting battle has also spilled into other states. Before Texas acted, California passed legislation to put new Democratic-leaning districts on the ballot to blunt potential Republican gains.
Also, Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe has called a special session to consider redrawing congressional districts, while Democrats in Ohio expect Republicans to move soon on their own map overhaul.