Gov. Bill Lee expressed his trust in the Tennessee Attorney General’s updated stance regarding the deployment of National Guard troops for police operations in Memphis, even though it contradicts previous legal views outlined in the state constitution. (Photo: John Partipilo/Tennessee Lookout)
Tennessee’s Governor Bill Lee stated on Friday that he stands by the Attorney General’s revised opinion on whether National Guard troops can be utilized in Memphis for police duties. This position is at odds with earlier legal opinions.
“I think General Skrmetti is a great lawyer who understands constitutional law, and I think he has the right answer,” Lee commented.
Recently, Lee sanctioned the deployment of a legally questionable number of Tennessee State Guards to Memphis as part of a broader initiative involving federal, state, and local law enforcement, which was initiated following a memorandum signed by President Trump.
When questioned about the constitutional implications of this National Guard mission, Lee mentioned that the Attorney General has made those determinations and deferred to Skrmetti on the constitutional issues.
Earlier in the week, Democratic Senator Jeff Yarbro from Nashville brought attention to the constitutional validity of sending troops to Memphis for police work. Yarbro noted that Skrmetti had overwritten a 2021 legal opinion by former Attorney General Herbert Slatery, drafting his own opinion in January 2024, which he later modified in a way that would permit the federalization of military forces for crime combat.
Tennessee lawmakers assert that AG has altered opinions regarding the guard’s deployment.
Yarbro stated that an Attorney General’s legal opinion can only be altered or eliminated if Congress enacts new legislation or if a court ruling changes existing law.
Skrmetti contended that Slatery’s opinion was retracted because it “does not accurately reflect the state of the law.” However, he didn’t clarify what “state of law” meant or whether it had been affected by new laws or judicial decisions.
Lee passionately defended the mobilization of troops for Memphis after having previously indicated the deployment of the National Guard was not being considered.
When asked if Trump or anyone in his administration urged him to deploy troops, he replied, “When it became clear that the federal government and President Trump had access to the FBI, DEA, ATF, and the U.S. Marshals, alongside the National Guard, those resources became available.”
Since then, federal and state officials have coordinated with Memphis’s Mayor, the Memphis Police Department, Arkansas State Police, and the DeSoto County Sheriff’s Office in Mississippi, Lee indicated.
“Everyone living in the area understands the urgent need to eliminate crime from Memphis streets, and all law enforcement from the highest federal levels are collaborating to ensure that takes place,” he emphasized.
The governor has allocated $100 million towards safety initiatives approved by legislators this year. Approximately 300 Tennessee troopers have reported a notable decrease in crime over the past year, but are engaged in Memphis as part of a long-term crime prevention strategy.
