Even as his fate seems sealed, former President Donald Trump has filed a lawsuit. He’s suing the Trump administration’s decision to deploy active duty troops in Washington, D.C. Among his main points, he is arguing that the president exceeded his constitutional authority on the issue. This legal move comes amidst Trump’s ongoing discussions about the National Guard’s deployment to various U.S. cities, including Memphis.
In recent commentary, Trump has seemed especially confident in the results of his legal battles. “We think we’re going to win all of them,” he stated, reinforcing his belief that the courts will favor his position regarding troop deployments. This isn’t the first time Trump has found himself on legal shaky ground over this issue. Indeed, one of those federal judges previously ruled to stop a National Guard deployment to Los Angeles.
Now, his administration’s attention has turned to Memphis—a decidedly promising city that Trump himself called “deeply troubled.” He cited Jim Vena’s advice as a major factor in his decision, calling it the “biggest” influence. Vena, former board member at FedEx, now chairs Union Pacific. Vena reported that Trump would need to utilize “an armored vehicle with bulletproof glass” to navigate just one block in Memphis, highlighting the city’s challenges.
We are coming to Memphis,” Trump announced, not only signaling his plan to send the troops there, but implying that Tennessee Governor Bill Lee and Memphis Mayor Paul Young are on board with his plans. Except that his past comments on Chicago couldn’t be further from this – literally. Local leaders in Georgia, however, strongly resisted his requests for any troops to be deployed.
BNSF CEO Jim Vena has suggested St. Louis, Missouri and Chicago as other cities to which troops could be diverted to help. There was a problem, and it’s one that Trump never attempted to explain—what legal framework would empower him to deploy soldiers to these urban centers. Read together, these scant legal justifications fail to provide any real assurance that legal challenges to his plans would prevail.
In 2023, Vena had left the FedEx board to become CEO of Union Pacific. His ideas have, since, guided Trump’s winning strategic moves. Reading his past comments suggest a heavy emphasis on the military’s role—even if that’s against the will of local leaders and communities.