Americans support stringent public safety measures when it comes to violent crime and homelessness, according to a new poll first shared with The Daily Wire.
The Cicero Institute’s annual National Public Safety Poll found that 75% of Americans believe violent crime is either going up or staying the same, with only 18% of those surveyed believing it’s going down. Meanwhile, 61% said they would back court mandates for “treatment and stabilization” of repeat offenders with a “history of mental illness.” 
In addition, 64% of those surveyed said they want it to be easier for people to be entered into mental health facilities if they have “violent tendencies.”
“Americans have made their voices heard. They want safe streets for their families, accountable solutions for homelessness, and serious repercussions when our justice system fails,” Stefani Buhajla, Senior Director of Communications for the Cicero Institute, said in a statement.
The new polling data comes amid a nationwide discussion about how to tackle crime in light of President Donald Trump ordering National Guard troops and federal law enforcement agencies into Washington, D.C., and other cities throughout the United States, like Memphis. The Wall Street Journal reported that the surge in Memphis has been considered a positive move by “many” residents, despite major pushback in other cities where the policy has been floated.
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For those with mental illness who are facing a conviction for “aggravated murder,” 46% said life in prison should be considered, 18% said the death penalty, and 18% said both should be weighed as options, compared with 17% who said neither should be a consequence.
“Voters have lost patience with activist leniency that endangers communities. They rightly want violent individuals removed from the streets and overwhelmingly support removing incompetent judges who repeatedly let them off with a slap on the wrist,” she continued.
Other noteworthy numbers from the poll were 60% saying that federal investigations should occur if states have a history of releasing “repeat violent criminals.” And 63% said a judge should be booted from their job if they are “too lenient” on violent offenders.
The poll also revealed heavy support for better tracking of sex offenders and mandating treatment or job programs in order to get “taxpayer-funded housing.”
The poll surveyed 2,102 likely voters, and results were weighted based on demographic information from the U.S. Census Bureau’s Current Population Survey Voting and Registration Supplement and the state election authorities.

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Americans Heavily Back Stringent Measures To Fight Crime, Mental Illness: Poll

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General Motors is set to lay off more than 2,000 workers in Michigan, Ohio, and Tennessee, the company announced on Wednesday, citing &#8220;slower&#8221; EV sales.
GM&#8217;s Detroit-area electric vehicle plant was hit the hardest, with roughly 1,200 employees being informed that they were no longer needed, The Detroit News <a href="https://www.detroitnews.com/story/business/autos/general-motors/2025/10/29/gm-cutting-hundreds-of-jobs-at-detroit-tennessee-ohio-ev-sites/86962834007/">reported</a>. The all-electric Factory Zero Detroit-Hamtramck Assembly Center will shut down completely from November 24 until January 5, after which it will operate on a single shift. Around 2,000 employees will stay employed at the plant, and cuts will be based on seniority.
Another 550 employees will be cut at GM&#8217;s Ultium Cells battery plant near Youngstown, Ohio, with 850 more workers expected to be laid off temporarily. At another GM Ultium Cells battery plant in Spring Hill, Tennessee, 700 workers will be temporarily laid off as well, according to The Detroit News.
&#8220;In response to slower near-term EV adoption and an evolving regulatory environment, General Motors is realigning EV capacity,&#8221; the Michigan-based automaker said. &#8220;Despite these changes, GM remains committed to our U.S. manufacturing footprint, and we believe our investments and dedication to flexible operations will make GM more resilient and capable of leading through change. Impacted employees may be eligible for SUB pay and benefits in accordance with the National GM-UAW Agreement.&#8221;
Last week, GM said it would lay off around 200 salaried employees at its global tech campus in metro Detroit as part of a restructuring effort for its &#8220;design engineering teams,&#8221; CNBC reported.
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After President Donald Trump eliminated the Biden administration&#8217;s $7,500 EV tax credit and cut back on regulations for gas-powered vehicles, GM said that it would lose around $1.6 billion related to changes the company would have to make to its EV rollout, NBC News <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/business/autos/electric-vehicle-ev-slowdown-rcna237652">reported</a>.
“Following recent U.S. government policy changes, including the termination of certain consumer tax incentives for EV purchases and the reduction in the stringency of emissions regulations, we expect the adoption rate of EVs to slow,” GM said last month.
During the third quarter of this year, the automaker reported huge sales of EVs, doubling the numbers reported in the same quarter last year. The Q3 bump in EV sales, however, came before the tax credit was terminated on September 30, as part of Trump&#8217;s &#8220;Big Beautiful Bill.&#8221;
The elimination of the EV tax credit and regulatory changes have also affected major EV companies, such as Tesla and Rivian, and other auto giants that have focused on producing more electric vehicles. Tesla sales dropped this year, and GM and Ford have <a href="https://finance.yahoo.com/news/ford-ceo-jim-farley-predicts-033138695.html">pumped the brakes</a> on EV production. Due to the Trump administration&#8217;s recent actions, Ford CEO Jim Farley predicted that &#8220;EV adoption will now only be about 5% of the U.S. market.&#8221;

GM’s EV Struggles Trigger Mass Layoffs In Three States

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A federal judge on Thursday struck down a Biden-era rule that expanded federal discrimination protections to encompass gender identity and forced health care providers to perform transgender procedures. 
U.S. District Judge Louis Guirola Jr. <a href="https://www.tn.gov/content/dam/tn/attorneygeneral/documents/pr/2025/pr25-51-opinion.pdf">sided</a> with Tennessee and fourteen other states that sued the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) over the rule. Guirola said that the HHS overstepped its legal authority by expanding Title IX discrimination protections to gender identity. 
“In the opinion of the Court, Congress only contemplated biological sex when it enacted Title IX in 1972,” the judge wrote. “Therefore, the Court finds that HHS exceeded its authority by implementing regulations redefining sex discrimination and prohibiting gender-identity discrimination.”
The <a href="https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2024/05/06/2024-08711/nondiscrimination-in-health-programs-and-activities">rule</a> had been put forth by the Biden administration on May 6, 2024. Despite the changeover in administration, the states still worried that the rule could be enforced against them in the future. Lawyers for Trump&#8217;s HHS argued that the states should fear no action from the federal government because of Trump&#8217;s crackdown on transgender ideology. 
Guirola said that since the rule was still in place, the “threat of enforcement and legal action is real&#8221; and that the resolution of the legal questions at the heart of the suit would “provide much-needed clarity.” 
He said that the rule would have blocked state-created health benefit exchanges, recipients of Medicaid and Medicare, and others from denying transgender medical procedures.
“When it enacted Title IX, Congress’s concern was prohibiting sex discrimination in education. It was particularly concerned with inequality that female students experienced. It did not at that time contemplate gender identity, transgender status, or ‘gender-affirming care,’” Guirola wrote. 
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Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti celebrated the decision from the court. 
“When Biden-era bureaucrats tried to illegally rewrite our laws to force radical gender ideology into every corner of American health care, Tennessee stood strong and stopped them,” Skrmetti said. “This decision restores not just common sense but also constitutional limits on federal overreach, and I am proud of the team of excellent attorneys who fought this through to the finish.”
Skrmetti argued that the rule would have blocked hospitals from maintaining sex-segregated spaces and forced states to subsidize transgender procedures through their Medicaid programs. 
The Republican attorneys general of Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Nebraska, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Virginia, and West Virginia all signed on to the suit.
Through a series of executive orders, President Donald Trump has sought to reverse Biden&#8217;s adoption of transgender ideology. As part of that, he ordered a review of all executive actions taken by Biden on the issue.

US-JUSTICE-GENDERS

Federal Judge Deals Another Major Blow To Transgender Ideology

Federal Judge Deals Another Blow To Transgender Ideology After GOP Suit

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Authorities said on Saturday that they found &#8220;no survivors&#8221; during a search of the site of a massive blast at a Tennessee explosives plant. At least 18 people were unaccounted for after the explosion on Friday.
The explosion at Accurate Energetic Systems in Hickman County — around 60 miles southwest of Nashville — was reported just before 8:00 a.m. on Friday, with officials initially saying that “several” people were dead.
“I can tell you that more than 300 people have been through almost every square inch of this facility, and at this time we’ve recovered no survivors,” said Humphreys County, Tennessee, Sheriff Chris Davis.
The sheriff added that authorities are still in the process of identifying the remains, but did not say exactly how many people were killed in the explosion. The investigation into the cause of the blast remains ongoing, and Sheriff Davis said that it could be weeks before they can say whether there was any foul play. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms and Explosives and the Department of Homeland Security were on the scene.
Accurate Energetic Systems, which was established in 1980, says it specializes “in the creation of high-grade explosives for demolition, ensuring rigorous quality and safety standards.” The company makes explosives for “defense and commercial markets.” In 2014, there was an <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/1-dead-after-blast-fire-in-tenn-ammo-explosives-plant/">explosion</a> at one of the company&#8217;s facilities in McEwen, Tennessee, that killed one person and injured three others.
The sheriff’s department from neighboring Humphreys County is also assisting in the response. In a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m8f4YXmCXJQ">press conference</a> on Friday morning, Sheriff Davis called the scene “very violent,” adding that the explosion “encompassed one whole building.”
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Aerial footage from the scene showed a wide blast area, with rubble and burning vehicles.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
TAKE A LOOK AT THIS: Helicopter video shows what&#8217;s left of Accurate Energetic Systems in Hickman County, Tennessee that experienced an explosion Friday morning. At least 19 people are unaccounted for. (Video: WTVF Nashville) <a href="https://t.co/xEHAeTFXLB">https://t.co/xEHAeTFXLB</a> <a href="https://t.co/OxhaLceMZO">pic.twitter.com/OxhaLceMZO</a>
— Action News 5 (@WMCActionNews5) <a href="https://twitter.com/WMCActionNews5/status/1976680048045301924?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 10, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The sheriff said that authorities had secured the scene to ensure there is no risk of more large explosions. Officials are waiting to notify family members of those dead or missing before they provide any more information on the victims.
The explosion rattled homes miles away. Davis said that it could take a week to get through all of the wreckage, as smaller blasts could continue in the area of the explosion hampering the cleanup and investigation. Davis added that it was “one of the most devastating situations I’ve been on in my career.”
The Metro Nashville Police Department <a href="https://x.com/MNPDNashville/status/1976756519346520245">said</a> that it was sending a bomb squad to assist authorities at the scene at the request of the FBI.
State Rep. Jody Barrett, who represents parts of Hickman County, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/live/2025/10/10/us/explosion-tennessee/15e75f54-eff7-5536-aa13-b096cd65bf8b?smid=url-share">said</a> that the plant is &#8220;a big part of our economy.”
Matt Van Epps, who won the special Republican primary for the 7th U.S. House district in Tennessee earlier this week, <a href="https://x.com/MattForTN/status/1976698056012947742">wrote</a> on X that he was &#8220;praying for all those impacted by this morning’s explosion at Accurate Energetic Systems in the Bucksnort Area of Hickman County.&#8221;
&#8220;We are grateful for the swift response of local officials, [Tennessee Emergency Management Agency], and all those working to ensure the safety of the community,&#8221; Van Epps added.

Screenshot: Sky 5 (WTVF)

UPDATE: ‘No Survivors’ Found After Massive Blast At Tennessee Explosives Plant

Explosion

A Tennessee university on Thursday approved the creation of a Turning Point USA chapter on campus after the conservative group faced opposition from the school’s student government.
The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC)’s Student Government Association on Wednesday voted against approving the Charlie Kirk-inspired club, sparking backlash from conservative lawmakers. Less than 24 hours after that vote, the university announced that it had approved the application in accordance with school guidelines. 
“The Dean of Students Office has determined that Turning Point USA is approved as a Registered Student Organization,” the university <a href="https://x.com/UTChattanooga/status/1976295599986122883">announced</a> Thursday morning. “While the Student Government Association may voice opinions, recognition of student organizations is determined by the UTC Dean of Students and Chancellor. Turning Point USA has been authorized in accordance with university policy and the law.”  
Calls to approve the club poured in after Turning Point USA spokesman Andrew Kolvet said that UTC’s student government had denied the request to approve the formation of the club. 
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“This decision effectively blocks our students from gaining official recognition on campus. As a result, the students will be forced to restart the process, reapplying and once again facing the same SGA that has already demonstrated clear bias against them. Tennessee, are these the values of your state? Your tax dollars are propping this garbage up,” Kolvet <a href="https://x.com/AndrewKolvet/status/1976125274065690716">posted</a> on X.
After the vote, the university stated that final approval for the club went through school officials, not the student government. 
Shortly before the university announced its decision to approve the club, Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) urged school officials to “do the right thing.” 
“The Student Government Association at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga just voted to recommend that a [TPUSA] chapter not be approved,” Blackburn <a href="https://x.com/VoteMarsha/status/1976284203068293217">wrote</a> on X. “Do the right thing and approve the Turning Point chapter immediately.”
Several state Republican representatives also commented on the student government’s vote, saying that the university would approve the application. 
Rep. Jason Zachary, a Republican who represents part of Knoxville, <a href="https://x.com/JasonZacharyTN/status/1976255673911427512">said</a> Thursday that he had spoken with Randy Boyd, the president of the University of Tennessee system, about the student government association’s vote. Zachary urged Turning Point USA to reach out to him if they had any other problems. 
After UTC announced the approval of the club, Tennessee House Majority Leader William Lamberth, a Republican, praised the school. 
“Glad to see [TPUSA] approved at [UTC]. Looks like some of these young conservatives need to run against the liberal SGA who didn&#8217;t even want their voices heard on campus,” he <a href="https://x.com/WilliamLamberth/status/1976297054151315518">said</a>. “Appreciate the Dean standing for free speech.”
Following the assassination of Kirk last month in Utah, Turning Point USA has reported a massive surge in requests to form new chapters on both high school and college campuses. The organization said last week that it has launched 1,500 new high school chapters nationwide, up from roughly 1,200 total before Kirk’s death.

Former President Trump Addresses The Turning Points Action Conference In West Palm Beach, California

After Student Government Clash, Tennessee Turning Point USA Chapter Gets Green Light

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Marsha Blackburn

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Charlie Kirk&#8217;s assassination stands before a judge, President Donald Trump hit the New York Times with a hefty defamation suit, and he continues his big city crime crackdown in a new destination.
It’s Wednesday, September 17, 2025, and this is the news you need to know to start your day.
Morning Wire is available on video! You can watch today’s episode here:
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<h2 style="text-align: center;">Prosecutors Seeking Death Penalty For Suspected Kirk killer</h2>
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-973217 aligncenter" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Kirks-alleged-killer-charged-300x169.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="169" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Kirks-alleged-killer-charged-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Kirks-alleged-killer-charged-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Kirks-alleged-killer-charged-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Kirks-alleged-killer-charged-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Kirks-alleged-killer-charged.jpg 1920w" sizes=" (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></div>
Topline: 22-year-old Tyler Robinson appeared in a Utah court on Tuesday, where he was formally charged with seven counts, including aggravated murder, felony discharge of a firearm, witness tampering, and obstruction of justice.
Utah County District Attorney Jeff Gray determined that Robinson targeted conservative activist Charlie Kirk for his political beliefs and announced that he would seek the death penalty.
“I do not take this decision lightly, and it is a decision I have made independently as county attorney based solely on the available evidence and circumstances and nature of the crime,” <a href="https://x.com/realDailyWire/status/1968018720820981764">said</a> Gray.
The evidence: Prosecutors released chilling <a href="https://x.com/Breaking911/status/1968026479037747546">text messages </a>between Robinson and his trans-identifying boyfriend from the hours after the shooting. When asked why he shot Kirk, Robinson allegedly responded: “I had enough of his hatred. Some hate can’t be negotiated out.” 
Robinson also appears to have confessed to the crime on Discord, an online messaging platform. Robinson allegedly wrote two hours before he was taken into custody: “Hey gurobinys, I have bad news for you all&#8230;It was me at UVU yesterday. I&#8217;m sorry for all of this.”
Stolen villainy: 71-year-old George Zinn was taken away in handcuffs immediately after the shooting. Reports circulated that he was the one responsible for shooting Kirk, but police later clarified that he was not the shooter and was being held on obstruction of justice charges.
Zinn, a well-known left-wing activist in Utah, prompted his own arrest by claiming to an officer on scene: “I shot him, now shoot me.” Only after arriving at the police station did Zinn confess he was not the shooter and was only trying to “draw attention from the real shooter.”
FBI agents who interviewed Zinn also discovered child sex abuse material on his phone, so he is now facing four additional charges.
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Trump Sues The New York Times</h2>
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-973219 aligncenter" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Trump-sues-the-Times-300x169.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="169" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Trump-sues-the-Times-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Trump-sues-the-Times-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Trump-sues-the-Times-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Trump-sues-the-Times-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Trump-sues-the-Times.jpg 1920w" sizes=" (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></div>
Topline: President Trump on Monday filed a $15 billion defamation and libel lawsuit against The New York Times. He has accused the newspaper of a years-long campaign to destroy his reputation and undermine his political success.
Trump filed the suit Monday in a U.S. District Court in Florida. The complaint targets four of the Times’ most prominent journalists — Susanne Craig, Russ Buettner, Michael Schmidt, and Peter Baker. It also names Penguin Random House, which published a book based on the Times’ reporting.
The evidence: An investigative series and book titled “Lucky Loser: How Donald Trump Squandered His Father’s Fortune and Created the Illusion of Success,” alleges that Trump committed tax fraud in inheriting his father&#8217;s real estate empire and built his wealth on deceptive practices. That series was written by Craig and Buettner, and Penguin Random House released it just before the 2024 election.
The suit also targets an interview by Schmidt with retired Gen. John F. Kelly, Trump&#8217;s former chief of staff, who said that the president met the definition of a fascist and posed a dictatorial threat.
Trump’s view: The president calls these claims &#8220;repugnant distortions and fabrications.” He also says the Times&#8217; reporting deliberately minimized his contributions to the success of his television show, &#8220;The Apprentice,&#8221; and instead solely credited producer Mark Burnett.
Trump argues that all these examples meet the legal definition of defamation because the paper&#8217;s coverage was engineered to inflict “enormous economic losses” on his businesses and personal brand.
The Gray Lady fights back: A spokesman for The New York Times said the lawsuit “lacks any legitimate legal claims and is an attempt to stifle and discourage independent reporting.” Penguin-Random House similarly called it meritless, arguing that the lawsuit is part of a broader effort to intimidate media organizations criticizing Trump.
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Trump’s Crime Crackdown Moves South</h2>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-973221" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Operation-Viper-Strikes-300x169.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="169" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Operation-Viper-Strikes-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Operation-Viper-Strikes-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Operation-Viper-Strikes-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Operation-Viper-Strikes-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Operation-Viper-Strikes.jpg 1920w" sizes=" (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
Topline: President Trump has officially directed a crackdown on crime in Memphis, Tennessee, using a strategy similar to the one deployed in Washington, D.C.
Trump signed a <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/09/restoring-law-and-order-in-memphis/">memo</a> Monday that establishes the Memphis Safe Task Force, whose objective is to “end street and violent crime in Memphis to the greatest possible extent” through hypervigilant policing, aggressive prosecution, and other efforts. Federal agencies such as the ATF, DOJ, HHS, HUD, and the Department of War will be involved and coordinate with local and state law enforcement. This will supplement “Operation Viper,” an FBI-led mission already working in Memphis to target violent offenders.
According to Trump, the situation in Memphis is <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDIptQsoA48">dire</a>: “In 2024, Memphis had the <a href="https://www.axios.com/2025/09/12/trump-deploy-national-guard-memphis-crime-rate?utm_source=chatgpt.com">highest crime rate</a>, the highest property crime rate, and the third-highest murder rate of any city in the nation – other than that, they are doing quite well, thank you. A person is 4 times more likely to be murdered in Memphis, Tennessee, today than in Mexico City. There were 249 murders, 429 rapes, 5,616 burglaries, and 12,522 violent assaults in just the last little while in 2024 and pieces of 2025.”
Room for negotiation: Memphis Mayor Paul Young, a Democrat, said he doesn&#8217;t want the National Guard in his city, but understands that it’s not his call and will be working with authorities on this matter.
Other local Democrats have also expressed opposition to this intervention. That said, there appears to be considerable support as well. CBS spoke to some business owners in the area and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p22syVrpYOw">reported</a> that they welcome the National Guard and are excited to see some changes.
What’s next: Trump said on Tuesday that Chicago is “probably next” to get the D.C. treatment. He said it’s a “great city” and will be “great again.&#8221; He made these comments despite opposition from both Illinois Democratic Governor JB Pritzker and Chicago Democrat Mayor Brandon Johnson.

Morning Brief: Death Penalty In Kirk Killing, Trump Sues NYT & Memphis Gets The Trump Treatment

Donald Trump

Media

Memphis

Morning Wire

Politics

The New York Times

Utah

President Donald Trump on Monday signed a memo directing a crackdown on crime in Memphis, Tennessee, using a strategy similar to the one deployed in Washington, D.C.
The <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/09/restoring-law-and-order-in-memphis/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">memo</a> establishes the Memphis Safe Task Force and directs the Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, to request control of the Tennessee National Guard from the governor. Trump’s Monday directive followed a request from Tennessee Republican Governor Bill Lee for help fighting crime in Memphis.
“This task force will be a replica of our extraordinarily successful efforts here (in Washington, D.C.), and you&#8217;ll see it&#8217;s a lot of the same thing,” Trump said in an Oval Office signing ceremony flanked by top Tennessee and federal law enforcement officials. “Now, we did send the FBI in about four months ago to work, and it brought some of the numbers down, and they did a great job, but we&#8217;re sending in the big force now.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>: &#8220;Today, at the request of <a href="https://twitter.com/GovBillLee?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@GovBillLee</a> of Tennessee&#8230; I&#8217;m signing a Presidential Memorandum to establish the Memphis Safe Task Force — and it&#8217;s very important because of the crime that&#8217;s going on.&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/8fflcbietz">pic.twitter.com/8fflcbietz</a>
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1967693731014099053?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 15, 2025</a></blockquote>
Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) credited FBI Director Kash Patel with the work done by his agency to drop crime in Memphis over the summer through “Operation Viper.”
“There have been over 500 arrests, there are over 100 indictments, and Memphis had the best stats they have had in years this past August, last month. It was the best August they have had, and it&#8217;s because of the work that&#8217;s been done,” Blackburn <a href="https://x.com/MarshaBlackburn/status/1967730702809706534">said</a>.
While the plan to combat crime in Memphis includes National Guard members posted in the city, it relies on partnerships between state, local, and federal law enforcement to combat crime. The law enforcement agencies involved <a href="https://www.tn.gov/governor/news/2025/9/15/icymi--gov--lee--president-trump-meet-in-oval-office-to-discuss-strategic-mission-to-address-crime-in-memphis.html">include</a> the Drug Enforcement Agency, Tennessee Highway Patrol, and Memphis Police Department, according to Lee’s office.
During his remarks at the White House, Trump said that Chicago is “probably next” to receive a deployment from the National Guard after Memphis. It’s unclear how Trump plans to allocate federal resources to Chicago. Unlike in Tennessee, the president faces a hostile governor in Illinois who would almost certainly refuse to cooperate with any effort to send federal resources into Chicago.
“Mr. President, do not come to Chicago. You are neither wanted here nor needed here,” Pritzker <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2025/08/25/politics/jb-pritzker-trump-chicago">said</a> last month.

Trump Targets Memphis Crime With Strategy Proven In Washington, D.C.

Trump Targets Memphis For Next Crime Crackdown

Bill Lee

President Donald Trump announced on Friday morning that the National Guard will be deployed to crime-ridden Memphis, a Democrat-run city in deep-red Tennessee.
&#8220;We&#8217;re going to Memphis. I&#8217;m just announcing that now,&#8221; Trump told &#8220;Fox &amp; Friends&#8221; during an interview in the studio. &#8220;National Guard and anybody else we need, and by the way, we&#8217;re bringing the military too if we need it.&#8221;
Trump has recently suggested that multiple cities — such as Chicago, Baltimore, and New Orleans — could be next on his list for a federal intervention to combat violent crime. His decision to deploy troops to Memphis means that the president will be working with a friendly state government. Tennessee Republican Governor Bill Lee <a href="https://www.wsmv.com/2025/09/10/gov-lee-activates-new-thp-surge-combat-crime-memphis-alongside-fbis-operation-viper/">said</a> on Wednesday that he is collaborating with the Trump administration on a plan to address crime in Memphis.
&#8220;For months, I have been in constant communication with the Trump Administration to develop a strategic plan to combat crime in Memphis, leveraging the full extent of both federal and state resources,&#8221; Lee said. &#8220;This multi-phased approach includes Operation Viper — an ongoing FBI mission with a dedicated task force of federal, state, and local law enforcement that has already made hundreds of arrests targeting the most violent offenders. Additionally, I have activated a new Tennessee Highway Patrol surge to support the Memphis Police Department that will include 50 more troopers, bringing our THP presence in Shelby County to record levels.&#8221;
Recently released FBI data on violent crime rates in 2024 showed that Memphis is the most violent city in the United States, NBC&#8217;s Nashville affiliate, WSMV 4, <a href="https://www.wsmv.com/2025/09/05/this-tennessee-city-has-highest-violent-crime-rate-country-see-where-your-home-ranks/">reported</a> last week. Last year, Memphis saw 2,501 instances of violent crime for every 100,000 people. The violent crime rate in Memphis was far higher than that of other most violent cities in America. The next highest on the list was Oakland, California, with 1,925 violent crimes reported for every 100,000 people, and Detroit was No. 3 with 1,781 violent crimes per 100,000 people.
Trump has praised the work of the National Guard and federal law enforcement agents in Washington, D.C., after he sent them into the nation&#8217;s capital and directed the Metropolitan Police Department to crack down on violent crime. The president said he wants to address violent crime in cities across the United States.
&#8220;Almost every city that&#8217;s in trouble is run by Democrats,&#8221; Trump <a href="https://x.com/RapidResponse47/status/1966479556388200614">told</a> &#8220;Fox &amp; Friends&#8221; on Friday morning. &#8220;Cashless bail is a disaster.&#8221;
Trump&#8217;s recent moves to deploy the National Guard to D.C. and Los Angeles have been blasted by Democrats, who claim that the president&#8217;s efforts to address violent crime in the U.S. are a power grab. Earlier this month, a federal judge ruled that Trump broke the law when he deployed the National Guard and Marines to Los Angeles during violent anti-ICE protests in June.

Trump Announces Next ‘Deeply Troubled’ American City National Guard Will Clean Up

Executive

Violent Crime

A dean at a university in Tennessee was fired on Wednesday after she said she had “zero sympathy” following the assassination of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk. 
Middle Tennessee State University Associate Dean of Students Laura Sosh-Lightsy was fired for “inappropriate and callous” social media posts about the killing of Kirk, the university confirmed to The Daily Wire. According to screenshots of posts shared online by Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Sosh-Lightsy wrote, “Looks like ol’ Charlie spoke his fate into existence. Hate begets hate. ZERO sympathy.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Assistant Dean of Students for my alma mater — Middle Tennessee State University — has some thoughts on Charlie Kirk’s assassination. <a href="https://t.co/HN3HIPI24l">pic.twitter.com/HN3HIPI24l</a>
— Matthew Hurtt (@matthewhurtt) <a href="https://twitter.com/matthewhurtt/status/1965939113162592469?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 11, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Sosh-Lightsy’s posts <a href="https://x.com/matthewhurtt/status/1965939113162592469">were</a> first flagged by Matthew Hurtt, an MTSU alumnus and director of the Leadership Institute. According to another post shared by Hurtt, Sosh-Lightsy wrote, “I’m not celebrating the loss of Charlie Kirk’s life. Violence is not the answer. I’m celebrating the loss of his message of violence in an increasingly violent world, which is partially because of him.”
Those comments came after Kirk was gunned down while speaking at Utah Valley University. A manhunt is still ongoing for the individual who shot Kirk. Many leftists took to social media to mock Kirk or celebrate his death. 
Sosh-Lightsy’s firing was announced by Middle Tennessee State University President Sidney McPhee, who said that she was fired “immediately” and that she had done damage to the university’s credibility with students and the public. 
“An MTSU employee today offered inappropriate and callous comments on social media concerning the horrific and tragic murder of Charlie Kirk,” McPhee said. “The comments by this employee, who worked in a position of trust directly with students, were inconsistent with our values and have undermined the university’s credibility and reputation with our students, faculty, staff and the community at large. This employee has been fired effective immediately. We extend our deepest sympathies to the Kirk family.”
Sosh-Lightsy’s profile was removed from the university’s Office of Student Conduct and Care Page sometime after the firing. According to her LinkedIn page, she had worked at Middle Tennessee State University for over twenty years and was in charge of student conduct and behavioral intervention plans. 
Her firing came after <a href="https://x.com/VoteMarsha/status/1965946930753945875">pressure</a> from Blackburn and other Tennessee Republicans. 
“Charlie Kirk was an inspiration for so many young people to speak up and work towards a better country, and nowhere was that more true than our college campuses,” Blackburn <a href="https://x.com/VoteMarsha/status/1965946930753945875">wrote</a> on X. “She should be fired tomorrow.”
Republican State Rep. Jason Zachary, an alumnus of MTSU, also called for Sosh-Lightsy’s firing. After the university announced the firing, he praised the leadership at the school.
“Thank you [President McPhee] for your leadership and decisive action,” he <a href="https://x.com/JasonZacharyTN/status/1966090666905334095">posted</a> on X. “Our leaders in higher education must hold faculty accountable and ensure that our public institutions reflect Tennessee values [MTSU] has led the way. Well done.”

Republican Presidential Candidate Donald Trump Holds Rally In Glendale, Arizona

Tennessee University Dean Fired After Saying She Had No Sympathy For Charlie Kirk

An assistant high school football coach who is also a school resource officer (SRO) in Clarksville, Tennessee, was removed from the coaching staff over complaints that he was proselytizing to players.
Trey Campbell, a volunteer assistant coach for Northwest High School, was escorted out of last week&#8217;s game at halftime by the school&#8217;s principal after he was holding a Bible and leading players in prayer, according to local news outlet, <a href="https://clarksvillenow.com/local/northwest-sro-put-on-leave-during-review-of-proselytizing-complaint-while-coaching-football/">Clarksville Now</a>. Campbell, a deputy with the Montgomery County Sheriff&#8217;s Office, was also placed on paid leave from his job as an SRO at the school.
The Clarksville-Montgomery County School System (CMCSS) said that it had received complaints about Campbell doing more than just leading players in prayer and was attempting to convert players to his faith while in his official capacity as a school employee. The school district said it is currently investigating the incident, WKRN <a href="https://www.wkrn.com/news/local-news/clarksville/northwest-high-school-assistant-football-coach-removed-form-team-after-prayer-sparking-debate-over-faith-in-schools/">reported</a>.
&#8220;It’s my understanding that the concern was not with private prayer, but that the principal received a concern that an employee was proselytizing in their official capacity,&#8221; a CMCSS official added in a statement. &#8220;We will investigate, and I can share more when that investigation has concluded. We are not able to conduct interviews or comment further until after the investigation has concluded.”
According to the school district, &#8220;multiple witnesses observed and video footage corroborated Campbell spending significant time throughout the game on the sidelines with players and other students, quoting scripture, holding a Bible up to spectators, and leading prayers.&#8221;
The school district alleged that Campbell &#8220;became visibly emotional and confrontational&#8221; when he was asked to keep his prayers private. The district added, &#8220;However, multiple witnesses stated that when asked to stop causing a disruption and to put his Bible away, Campbell stated loudly that &#8216;I can’t do it, won’t do it,&#8217; and &#8216;my job is to save these babies.'&#8221;
CMCSS said that witnesses found Campbell&#8217;s behavior last Friday &#8220;uncharacteristic,&#8221; adding, &#8220;Campbell has otherwise been an outstanding SRO, coach, and valued member of the Northwest High School community. He has built positive relationships with students, families, and staff, and has contributed to the safety and well-being of the school.&#8221;
Montgomery County Sheriff John Fuson told Clarksville Now that the department &#8220;firmly stands behind any citizen who chooses to lawfully exercise their constitutional rights. This includes our employees.&#8221; Fuson added, “As a man of faith, I was equally concerned about the initial information regarding this and how it appeared to have been handled.&#8221;
The sheriff, however, acknowledged that &#8220;there are always two sides to consider,&#8221; referring to the school district&#8217;s review of the incident involving Campbell. The deputy was placed on leave for &#8220;a couple of paid days off to process all of this,&#8221; according to the sheriff. Fuson added that Campbell&#8217;s position as an SRO at Northwest High School has not changed. When asked to provide further details about the incident and where the sheriff stands on the issue, the Montgomery County Sheriff&#8217;s Office told The Daily Wire that it did not have any further comment at this time.
The issue over Campbell&#8217;s religious practices at the football game comes as President Donald Trump moves to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-promises-fresh-push-to-defend-prayer-in-public-schools">protect prayer</a> in public schools. Trump said on Monday that he has directed the Department of Education to &#8220;issue new guidance protecting the right to prayer in our public schools.&#8221;
&#8220;America has always been a nation that believes in the power of prayer,&#8221; Trump <a href="https://truthsocial.com/">said</a>. &#8220;Together we will make our Country greater, stronger, more united, and more faithful than ever before!&#8221;
The controversy in Tennessee shares some similarities to a major Supreme Court case that was decided in 2022, when high school football coach Joseph Kennedy was pressured by a public school system in Bremerton, Washington, to stop his practice of praying on the field after each game; a practice that many of his players joined. Kennedy&#8217;s contract was not renewed after the controversy over his post-game prayer, and the coach sued the school board. The case made it all the way up to the Supreme Court, which ruled 6-3 in Kennedy&#8217;s favor.
In a phone call with The Daily Wire, Marc Wheat, General Counsel for former Vice President Mike Pence&#8217;s organization, Advancing American Freedom, brought up the Kennedy v. Bremerton School District case. Wheat, however, said that the issue in Tennessee appears to differ from the famous 2022 decision based on what&#8217;s been reported so far.
&#8220;My understanding is that Campbell&#8217;s prayer time was during a game where the football players are there to be coached on strategy, tactics, getting them pumped up to go back on the field,&#8221; Wheat said. &#8220;So that&#8217;s pretty different from the Coach Kennedy case.&#8221;
Wheat added that an important question that must be answered is whether the players were required to be present and listening to their coaches when Campbell was exercising his faith. He said that the arguments for and against Campbell practicing his faith at the game could change as more information comes out about the incident. Another aspect that Wheat pointed out that could add to a legal dilemma is that Campbell was acting as a volunteer football coach, while his employment was with the sheriff&#8217;s department.
Andrea Picciotti-Bayer, director of the Conscience Project — a religious liberty advocacy group — told The Daily Wire that &#8220;often what&#8217;s reported isn&#8217;t what&#8217;s really going on&#8221; when it comes to religious liberty cases.
&#8220;Sometimes something becomes very sensational and school administrators often act, throwing the net wider than they should and disciplining people for exercising legitimate rights out of fear and ignorance,&#8221; she said.
&#8220;Obviously, there are elements to what&#8217;s been reported that look like religious activity was possibly going on during the game, during what would normally be the coaching of young people. And I think that&#8217;s where the record has to be developed more,&#8221; Picciotti-Bayer continued, adding, &#8220;There isn&#8217;t a problem unless there&#8217;s a level of coercion.&#8221;
Picciotti-Bayer said that new guidance from Trump&#8217;s Education Department could be vital for further protecting religious liberty. She said that she expects the guidance to allow school employees &#8220;to actually live your faith, say your prayer at lunch time. Maybe not over an intercom, but to let that be a part of your life. You don&#8217;t have to leave your faith at the parking lot of the school or the parking lot of the football stadium.&#8221;
This story has been updated to include additional comment from the school district.

Football Field, Bible

High School Football Coach Loses Gig, Placed On Leave After Carrying Bible, Praying With Players

School Resource Officer Loses Coaching Gig, Placed On Leave After Carrying Bible, Praying With Playe

Christianity

High school sports

Public Schools

Religious Freedom

Religious Liberty

Oklo, an advanced nuclear technology company, announced on Thursday plans to build a “first-of-its-kind” nuclear fuel recycling center.
The first phase of the project is expected to cost nearly $1.7 billion and create 800 jobs. The facility, to be built in Tennessee, will be the first privately-funded nuclear fuel recycling center.
“Fuel is the single most important factor in bringing advanced nuclear energy to market,” Oklo co-founder and CEO Jacob DeWitte said in a statement. “By recycling used nuclear fuel at an industrial scale, we are turning waste into watts, cutting costs, and establishing a secure U.S. supply chain that will accelerate deployment of clean, reliable, and affordable power. Tennessee is showing the nation that recycling can be done commercially.”
Energy Secretary Chris Wright served on Oklo’s board of directors before being nominated to head the Department of Energy in the Trump administration.
The facility to be built will recycle used nuclear fuel, offering a potential solution to a divisive issue that has plagued the nuclear energy industry: how to dispose of spent fuel. Answers to the question have proven difficult, such as in the case of the <a href="https://19january2021snapshot.epa.gov/radiation/what-yucca-mountain-repository_.html">proposed</a> Yucca Mountain repository that has drawn strong opposition from local and state leaders in Nevada.
“The recycling facility will recover energy-bearing materials from used nuclear fuel to be fabricated into metallic fuel for fast reactors. Once used in a reactor, this process significantly reduces waste volumes for more economical, clean, and efficient disposal pathways,” the Oklo press release says.
The “metallic fuel” can be used the power fast reactors such as Oklo’s Aurora powerhouse, a zero-emission power plant that “only needs to be refueled once every decade (or longer),” according to <a href="https://oklo.com/energy/default.aspx">Oklo</a>. Maintenance on Aurora will take place more often, however.
&#8220;Everyone who wants American energy to be cleaner, more affordable, and more sustainable should be rejoicing today. Oklo&#8217;s program to turn Cold War-era plutonium into safe nuclear fuel for today — and tomorrow — is a bold and exciting achievement,” Jason Isaac, CEO of the American Energy Institute, told The Daily Wire in a statement.
Oklo and the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) are looking at more opportunities to collaborate, such as Oklo handling nuclear fuel recycling for the TVA and building other facilities in the state.
Energy and Environment Legal Institute senior policy fellow Steve Milloy, who worked on the 2016 Trump transition team, credited President Donald Trump with the project’s success. Trump signed an <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/05/deploying-advanced-nuclear-reactor-technologies-for-national-security/">executive order</a> in May encouraging “the rapid development, deployment, and use of advanced nuclear technologies to support national security objectives.”
“President Trump’s leadership is the reason this breakthrough is happening. It’s telling that, even in the face of historic progress, anti-nuclear activists would rather tear down solutions than acknowledge success. This project offers the American people exactly what they deserve: affordable, reliable, and clean energy,” Milloy told The Daily Wire in a statement.

Jacob DeWitte

Red State To House ‘First-Of-Its-Kind’ Recycling Center For Used Nuclear Fuel

Department of Energy

Energy

Nuclear Power

U.S.

The FBI arrested a 22-year-old on Thursday for threatening to kill Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) earlier this year. 
The Justice Department accused Penelope Convertino, of Murfreesboro, Tennessee, of leaving a voice mail message at Blackburn’s Nashville office threatening to shoot the senator on May 30. Convertino has been charged with making a threat to murder a federal official with the intent to impede, intimidate, and interfere. 
“Our public officials should be able to do their jobs without receiving vile death threats,” <a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-mdtn/pr/murfreesboro-woman-charged-threat-murder-united-states-senator-marsha-blackburn">said</a> Acting United States Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee. “Threatening public officials with deadly violence cannot and will not be tolerated. We will not hesitate to hold those who make these kinds of violent threats accountable for their crimes.”
According to the Justice Department, Convertino’s voice mail said: “My name is mother**ker and I’m gonna kill Marsha Blackburn. I’m gonna shoot her with a gun. I’m gonna blow up her head on national TV,” Convertino said, according to the Justice Department. “She will literally have brains splattered behind her because she will not be a person. She will be a dead f**king body.”
If convicted, Convertino could face up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. 
Blackburn, who is running for governor of Tennessee, expressed gratitude to federal investigators. 
“Threats against the life of any public official are unacceptable and should be prosecuted to the fullest extent,” she <a href="https://www.wkrn.com/news/local-news/murfreesboro/woman-charged-alleged-threat-blackburn/">told</a> local outlet WKRN. “I am grateful to law enforcement and federal prosecutors in the Middle District of Tennessee for taking this threat seriously and for their swift action. My focus remains on serving the people of Tennessee, and I will not be intimidated or deterred by those who seek to silence me.”
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Republican Rep. Tim Burchett (R-TN) criticized the FBI, <a href="https://x.com/timburchett/status/1961433462079889900">saying</a> it took far too long to make an arrest in the case.
“Someone threatens [Blackburn’s] life and it takes the [FBI] 3 months to arrest the dirtbag?! That’s a problem,” he posted on X. 
Blackburn, who was re-elected to a second Senate term in 2024, will face off against Republican Rep. John Rose in the August 2026 Republican gubernatorial primary.

Senate Lawmakers Return To Work On Capitol Hill After Weekend

FBI Nabs Suspect Over Chilling Threat To Assassinate Sen. Marsha Blackburn

Department of Justice

Nashville

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