State argues National Guard is army, not ‘militia.’ Why it matters

By , Daily Memphian Updated: October 27, 2025 4:13 PM CT | Published: October 27, 2025 12:26 PM CT

Recent legal filings and a statement from the governor’s office shows that the legality of the guard’s Memphis deployment could hinge on whether the Tennessee National Guard is an army or a militia. 

Topics

Tennessee National Guard Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee Memphis Safe Task Force Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti
Samuel Hardiman

Samuel Hardiman

Samuel Hardiman is an enterprise reporter who focuses on government and politics. He began his career at the Tulsa World where he covered business and K-12 education. Hardiman came to Memphis in 2018 to join the Memphis Business Journal, covering government and economic development. He then served as the Commercial Appeal’s city hall reporter and later joined The Daily Memphian in 2023. His current work focuses on the intersection of government, public policy, influence and how public dollars are spent.


Comments

Want to comment on our stories or respond to others? Join the conversation by subscribing now. Only paid subscribers can add their thoughts or upvote/downvote comments. Our commenting policy can be viewed here