- Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff has apologized for his controversial statement supporting the deployment of the National Guard in San Francisco.
- The initial comments, made to The New York Times, also included praise for President Donald Trump, sparking significant backlash.
- The fallout included the resignation of prominent VC Ron Conway from the Salesforce Foundation board and condemnation from Democratic politicians.
- Benioff walked back his remarks on X (formerly Twitter), stating the comment was made from “an abundance of caution” for the company’s Dreamforce conference.
Benioff Reverses Course After Political Firestorm
Salesforce co-founder and CEO Marc Benioff has publicly apologized for his highly controversial comments suggesting the National Guard was needed to patrol San Francisco. The apology follows a week of intense backlash from political allies and tech industry figures after an interview where he also declared his support for President Donald Trump.
In a post on X, Benioff completely reversed his position. “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,” he stated. “My earlier comment came from an abundance of caution around the event, and I sincerely apologize for the concern it caused.“
“Too Spicy?”: The Comments That Ignited Outrage
The controversy began with an interview in The New York Times where Benioff voiced support for President Trump’s threats to deploy National Guard troops in cities led by Democrats, including San Francisco. While his concerns were ostensibly linked to safety and costs for the massive Dreamforce conference, his comments went further.
The previously liberal-leaning billionaire embraced Trump, stating, “I fully support the president,” and adding that he is “doing a great job.” His remarks reportedly stunned his own public relations staff, with Benioff asking them, “Too spicy?” after the interview concluded.
Swift Condemnation from Allies and Politicians
The fallout was immediate and severe. Longtime ally and well-known venture capitalist Ron Conway resigned from the board of the Salesforce Foundation. In an email to Benioff, Conway reportedly wrote, “I now barely recognize the person I have so long admired.”
An event scheduled to feature both Benioff and San Francisco Mayor Dan Lurie was abruptly canceled, with organizers citing rain as the official reason. The comments drew sharp criticism from local and state politicians, who viewed the call for military presence as an extreme and unwarranted step.
A National Controversy
Benioff’s comments tapped into a larger, contentious national debate. President Trump has previously deployed the National Guard in cities like Washington, D.C., and Chicago, a move that Illinois Governor JB Pritzker has repeatedly called an “invasion” of his state.
State Senator Scott Wiener, who represents San Francisco, acknowledged the apology, telling Politico, “I’m grateful that Marc walked back his call for the National Guard to be deployed in San Francisco. Marc has done so many good things for our city — and supported so many civic needs — and I’m glad to see this shift.”
Image Referance: https://techcrunch.com/2025/10/18/salesforce-ceo-marc-benioff-apologizes-for-saying-national-guard-troops-needed-in-san-francisco/