Memphis mayor says crime ‘definitely not over’ after Trump visit

Memphis Mayor Paul Young did not attend President Donald Trump’s roundtable honoring the work done by the Memphis Safe Task Force on March 23. In an afternoon press conference, Young told reporters he had “a conflict.”

When pressed about what that conflict was, Young said it was “personal.” He did, however, say he had received an invitation to the event. During the president’s remarks, Trump even referred to Young as “terrific” for working with the task force.

Young’s press conference and Trump’s visit to Memphis came almost halfway through the previously stated yearlong deployment of crimefighting resources. During his time with media, Young said the city should focus its efforts on investing in opportunities.

Mayor Paul Young speaks at a press conference at city hall to respond to President Donald Trump’s visit to Memphis earlier in the day on March 23, 2026.

“We have to put opportunity in the hands of our young people to prevent them from moving into a life of crime,” Young said. “And then cleaning up our neighborhoods and our communities. If people walk around their neighborhood and it looks like no one cares, then it’s not surprising to see the negative behavior come right behind it.”

Young also pointed to the city’s effort to build new housing units, which he originally announced during his state of the city address earlier this year.

Though he missed the roundtable, Young said he watched parts of it. At one point during the roundtable, Trump said crime was dropping significantly and could hit “next to no crime.”

Paul Young addresses falling crime rates, Downtown shooting

Young said he was proud of the work that had been done, highlighting the work that was underway prior to the task force’s arrival, but said crime is “definitely not over.”

In acknowledging that, he also made a nod to the shootings that took place Downtown over the weekend before the president’s visit. In the wake of those shootings, Young called for “accountability” within families in a written statement. Young said his office is exploring how to best enforce a curfew that has been on the books for years.

“There are some challenges with implementation because we have to ensure that we have the appropriate place to take the individuals if, and when, they do encounter law enforcement,” Young said. “But it is something that we’re exploring because we think that it’s unacceptable to have 14-year-olds running around Downtown at 11:30 at night, in the entertainment district, and on Beale Street where there are bars and adult activities taking place.”

He did say there have been significant investments in public safety Downtown, but also said you can’t prevent things from happening.

“But you can create an environment where it’s less likely to happen,” he said.

When asked if he thinks the Memphis Safe Task Force’s presence is changing Memphis’ reputation, Young said he believes the drop in reported crime is what people will focus on.

President Donald Trump gestures to bleachers filled with National Guard members as he takes the stage as part of a round table on the Memphis Safe Task Force inside a hangar at the Memphis Air National Guard Base on March 23, 2026.

“I think the crime numbers dropping are gonna speak for itself. We’ve heard narratives around Memphis in the past with crime, and the name of our city and that word being mentioned together. We want to see that connection disappear. We want Memphis to be known for the culture, the vibe, the amazing cuisine, all of the great attributes of this city that we all, as Memphians, know exist here. We want to make sure that that’s what the world knows us for and disconnect it from that negative narrative,” he said.