- Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff enraged local politicians by calling for the National Guard to handle San Francisco’s street issues.
- The situation escalated when Donald Trump seized on the comments, threatening to send troops into the city himself.
- San Francisco’s moderate Democrats, once aligned with tech titans, are now desperately distancing themselves from Benioff amid the political fallout.
- The controversy has led to high-profile backlash, including famed venture capitalist Ron Conway resigning from Salesforce’s philanthropic board in protest.
Tech Titan’s Comments Ignite Political Firestorm
San Francisco’s political landscape has been thrown into chaos after Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff’s call to bring in the National Guard was amplified by a threat from Donald Trump to deploy federal troops. The bombshell remarks have left the city’s moderate Democratic establishment, which has long cultivated alliances with the tech industry, scrambling to contain the damage and distance themselves from one of their most prominent benefactors.
The controversy has created a significant rift, forcing local leaders to publicly rebuke Benioff while trying to manage the political fallout from his perceived alignment with the Trump agenda.
Democrats Run for Cover
The reaction from San Francisco’s leadership was swift and sharp. District Attorney Brooke Jenkins, a moderate Democrat, directly linked Trump’s focus on the city to Benioff. “There is no secret that Mr. Benioff is now a supporter of President Trump, and that they likely have some level of communication,” she stated, highlighting the perceived danger of the tech billionaire’s rhetoric.
The awkwardness was palpable. Mayor Daniel Lurie, who was scheduled to appear with Benioff at an event, saw it canceled. He was also notably absent from Dreamforce, Benioff’s massive annual tech conference. Board of Supervisors President Rafael Mandelman acknowledged the “fury and a sense of betrayal,” calling it an “awkward situation” given Benioff’s history of civic generosity juxtaposed with the new threat posed by his comments.
A Progressive Opening and Tech World Rebuke
The crisis for the moderates has provided an opening for the city’s progressive wing. “The conservative, or so-called moderate, forces in San Francisco are scrambling to get away from Benioff as fast as they can,” noted former Board of Supervisors President Aaron Peskin, seeing a chance to critique the moderates’ reliance on tech money and influence.
The backlash extended beyond City Hall. In a stunning move, legendary venture capitalist and Democratic donor Ron Conway resigned from the board of Salesforce’s philanthropic foundation, citing Benioff’s political transformation. “It saddens me immensely to say that with your recent comments, and failure to understand their impact, I now barely recognize the person I have so long admired,” Conway wrote in an email to the CEO.
Benioff’s Pivot and Apology
Benioff, a former Hillary Clinton supporter who once championed taxes for homeless services, has visibly shifted his political posture. This year’s Dreamforce featured David Sacks, a prominent Trump ally, a stark contrast to past events that hosted figures like former President Bill Clinton. Though Benioff has since softened his stance and apologized for his remarks, the political damage appears to be done. Leaders like Jim Wunderman, president of the Bay Area Council, noted that Benioff, who now resides in Hawaii, seems disconnected from the city’s recent progress on crime reduction. “Marc isn’t here anymore,” Wunderman said. “It doesn’t seem like the same Benioff.”