A video circulating online shows a young boy from Memphis, Tennessee, expressing his gratitude to former President Donald Trump for deploying the National Guard to his city. In the video, the boy states that he previously felt unsafe playing outside due to concerns about gun violence, explaining, “I couldn’t play because I was worried that somebody might pull out a gun or something.” He attributes his newfound sense of security to the presence of the National Guard, adding, “now I could do that, and I just wanted to thank the President of the United States for bringing the National Guard here.”
While the specific context surrounding the National Guard’s deployment and the period to which the boy is referring remains unclear from the provided information, Memphis has struggled with high rates of violent crime. Recent data indicates that Memphis consistently ranks among the cities with the highest murder rates in the United States. The presence of the National Guard in any city can be a contentious issue, with supporters arguing that it provides much-needed security and critics expressing concerns about the militarization of civilian spaces and potential impact on civil liberties.