NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — As Tennessee National Guard troops patrol the streets of Memphis, News 2 got clarification from Governor Bill Lee about whether troops could be deployed to Nashville.
Lee confirmed to News 2 that “there’s been no discussion” about deploying the National Guard to Music City. The clarification came after U.S. Representative Andy Ogles (R-Tennessee) said the National Guard should be deployed to Nashville in a post on X and in a radio interview in recent weeks.
PREVIOUS | Democratic lawmakers call Memphis National Guard deployment ‘unconstitutional’ in letter to governor, AG
“We’ve got to revisit this conversation about crime in America, drugs in America, and how do we root out this problem?” Ogles said during an interview on SuperTalk 99.7 WTN’s The Matt Murphy Show.
In late August, Governor Lee was asked by a reporter if National Guard troops should be sent to Memphis. At the time, Lee said there were “no circumstances that currently exist that we believe warrant that.” About a week later, Lee softened his stance.
“There is nothing that is off the table,” Lee said. “Everything is a possibility, and we are aggressively pursuing the right strategy to lower the crime rate in Memphis.”
The National Guard was deployed to Memphis Oct. 10.
⏩ Read today’s top stories on wkrn.com
Since Nashville has been floated as a potential destination for National Guard troops, city leaders like Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell have highlighted data showing crime rates are down across the city.
“It’s important for Nashvillians to understand what the data actually says,” O’Connell said in an interview with News 2 last Wednesday.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRN News 2.
