A memo from U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth to Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee indicates the federal government will fund National Guard troops in Memphis through Sept. 2026. (Photo: Karen Pulfer-Focht/Tennessee Lookout)

Tennessee National Guard soldiers could be patrolling Memphis for up to a year, lending credence to the governor’s prediction that the crime task force in Memphis could be permanent.

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth notified Gov. Bill Lee in a Sept. 23 letter that the U.S. Department of Defense is prepared to authorize and fund up to 1,000 Tennessee National Guard personnel to work with the Memphis Safe Task Force through September 2026.

“Tennessee, particularly in Memphis, is currently facing a convergence of public safety threats that exceed the capacity of local la

See Full Page