Gov. Bill Lee said at a Tuesday press conference that he does not plan to deploy National Guard troops to Tennessee cities. (Photo: John Partipilo/Tennessee Lookout)

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee isn’t considering deploying National Guard personnel to Tennessee cities for law enforcement or accepting federal troops to patrol Memphis, despite a presidential order.

“We have no plans to put the National Guard there now,” Lee said Tuesday.

Lee told reporters he believes President Donald Trump “made a smart decision” to combat crime in Washington, D.C., and major cities nationwide with National Guard troops, including 160 personnel from Tennessee.

But the governor said the state made “significant investments” to stem crime in Memphis, including spending $150 million in grant funds and increasing

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