A Tennessee judge on Monday night halted Gov. Bill Lee’s plan to deploy National Guard troops to Memphis, ruling that the governor exceeded his constitutional powers by authorizing the operation.
Davidson County Chancellor Patricia Head Moskal issued a temporary injunction blocking the deployment but paused the order for five days to give the state time to appeal.
“The power committed to the Governor as commander-in-chief of the Army and Militia is not unfettered,” Moskal wrote in her ruling.
The case marks a rare instance in which a governor is challenged for supporting, rather than resisting, federal pressure to use the National Guard. President Donald Trump announced in September that troops would be sent to Memphis, citing what he described as a surge in violent crime. Gov. Lee backed the plan, arguing it would bolster local law enforcement.
A coalition of local elected officials filed suit, asserting that state law allows the governor to activate the National Guard only in situations involving civil unrest, rebellion, or invasion — not general crime concerns.
Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris praised the injunction as “a positive step toward ensuring the rule of law applies to everyone, including everyday Tennesseans and even the Governor.”
While the ruling temporarily blocks the Guard’s deployment, it does not affect other components of Trump’s federal task force operating in Memphis, including FBI, ATF, and DEA agents.
