Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff apologizes for saying National Guard troops needed in San Francisco

Marc Benioff, the co-founder and CEO of Salesforce, has retracted his earlier statements advocating for the National Guard's presence in San Francisco. In a recent post on X, he acknowledged the concerns raised by local residents and officials: "Having listened closely to my fellow San Franciscans and our local officials, and after the largest and safest Dreamforce in our history, I do not believe the National Guard is needed to address safety in San Francisco." His initial comments sparked significant controversy after an interview with The New York Times, where he expressed support for President Donald Trump's threats to deploy National Guard troops in cities governed by Democratic leadership. These remarks were reportedly driven by worries over public safety during the massive Dreamforce conference held in San Francisco last week. Benioff, who has previously aligned himself with more liberal views, surprised many when he stated, "I fully support the president," and praised Trump's performance. This shift toward a more conservative stance among tech leaders has raised eyebrows and led to backlash from former allies. Notably, prominent venture capitalist Ron Conway resigned from the Salesforce Foundation's board, stating, "I now barely recognize the person I have so long admired." In addition to the fallout from his comments, an event featuring Benioff and San Francisco Mayor Dan Lurie was also canceled, though organizers attributed this to rain. State Senator Scott Wiener expressed relief that Benioff reconsidered his call for the National Guard, stating, "Marc has done so many good things for our city — and supported so many civic needs — and I’m glad to see this shift." As the National Guard has already been deployed in other cities like Washington, DC, and Chicago, similar measures in Portland have faced legal challenges. Illinois Governor JB Pritzker has characterized these actions as an "invasion" of his state.