White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller addressed Memphis law enforcement officials Wednesday, declaring an end to the era of gangbangers controlling parts of the city. “The idea that there is a square inch of block in this city where a citizen doesn’t feel safe is unacceptable,” Miller said. “This is Memphis. This is the United States of America and all that bullshit is done!” he added, emphasizing, “It’s over, it’s finished!”
Miller joined Attorney General Pam Bondi, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, and Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee in speaking to members of the Memphis Safe Task Force at the Shelby County Operations Center. The task force was established last month by President Donald Trump’s Executive Order to restore law and order in the crime-ravaged city.
FBI data from 2024 revealed Memphis had the highest rate of violent crime per capita in the country, including elevated levels of murder, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, larceny, and motor vehicle theft, according to Trump’s memorandum. The president ordered 13 state and federal law enforcement agencies to deploy to Memphis to combat the crisis.
As of Wednesday afternoon, the task force had made 53 arrests and seized 20 illegal firearms, according to Bondi. She pledged support for law enforcement, stating, “We’re here to back you up, to be your partner.” Bondi also warned that anyone threatening officers would face arrest.
Hegseth highlighted Trump’s focus on Memphis, noting the president’s concern for residents’ safety and his commitment to empowering law enforcement. “We’re not here to second guess you,” he said. “We’re here to have your back, to unleash you to do your job.”
Miller outlined an “all of government unlimited support operation,” including federal agencies like the ATF, DEA, FBI, and ICE. He promised federal officers would work alongside local cops on the streets, not from desks. “These are people who have taken down drug cartels… Standing with you shoulder to shoulder,” he said.
Miller vowed to “liberate this city from the criminal element that has plagued it for generations,” declaring, “We are not going to live in an environment anywhere where there is a street that belongs to a criminal.” He warned Memphis criminals they were unprepared for the upcoming crackdown, stating, “They have no idea how ruthless we are.”
The White House emphasized the effort would restore safety, attract businesses, and transform Memphis into a “richer” city.
