WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump is hosting Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee in the Oval Office on Monday after suggesting that he’s ready to send the National Guard into Memphis to help combat crime.

Lee’s visit follows Trump saying on Friday that, “Memphis is deeply troubled” and adding, “We’re going to fix that just like we did Washington.” Speaking on Fox News Channel, Trump said “the mayor is happy” and “the governor is happy” about the pending deployment.

Shortly before the meeting with Lee began, the White House said on social media that the Memphis total crime rate was higher than the national average and suggested that the rate had increased since last year, bucking national trends.

Trump last month deployed National Guard troops to Washington and federalized the city’s police f

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