Trump Praises Tech CEOs for Halting Federal Troop Surge in San Francisco
▼ Summary
– President Trump planned to deploy National Guard troops to San Francisco but changed his mind after calls from tech leaders like Nvidia’s Jensen Huang and Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff.
– San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie confirmed the military operation was planned and then canceled, though he did not specify who spoke with the President.
– Marc Benioff had previously supported sending National Guard troops to San Francisco, which led to Ron Conway resigning from Salesforce’s philanthropic foundation in protest.
– Benioff later apologized and reversed his position on needing the National Guard after Salesforce’s Dreamforce event concluded safely.
– Mayor Lurie is scheduled to speak at TechCrunch Disrupt, where further details on San Francisco’s safety improvements and de-escalation efforts may be discussed.
A planned military surge of National Guard troops into San Francisco was halted after President Trump received direct appeals from prominent technology executives, including Nvidia’s Jensen Huang and Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff. In a social media update shared on Truth Social this Thursday, the President confirmed he altered his original strategy following conversations with these influential tech leaders. The intervention underscores the growing role corporate figures play in shaping federal and municipal policy decisions.
San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie issued a statement verifying that the proposed military operation had been both scheduled and subsequently canceled. While the mayor did not identify the individuals who communicated with the President, he acknowledged the key dialogues that led to the reversal. This development highlights ongoing tensions between local governance, federal authority, and private sector influence in addressing urban challenges.
Marc Benioff’s participation in the discussions is especially significant given his recent public statements. Earlier this month, just before Salesforce hosted its major Dreamforce conference in its hometown, Benioff voiced support for President Trump and suggested that deploying the National Guard could help improve public safety. Those remarks prompted immediate backlash, including the resignation of venture capitalist Ron Conway from his long-standing position on the Salesforce philanthropic foundation board. Conway publicly criticized both the comments and his former associate.
Following the controversy, Benioff issued an apology and reversed his stance on military patrols. He posted on social media platform X that after experiencing the “largest and safest Dreamforce in our history,” he no longer felt the National Guard was necessary for maintaining security in the city. His direct appeal to the White House represents a continuation of his revised position, demonstrating a willingness to actively advocate against the deployment he had previously endorsed.
Mayor Lurie is scheduled to speak at the upcoming TechCrunch Disrupt event in San Francisco, where he will likely address how the city, widely recognized as the epicenter of the artificial intelligence industry, has enhanced safety protocols and collaborated with stakeholders to prevent escalation. The situation illustrates a complex interplay between corporate leadership, political authority, and community relations in one of America’s most technologically advanced urban centers.
(Source: TechCrunch)
