Marc Benioff has grow to be the most recent Silicon Valley tech chief to sign his approval of President Trump, saying that the president is doing an amazing job and must deploy the Nationwide Guard to cope with crime in San Francisco.
The Salesforce chief government’s feedback got here as he headed to San Francisco to host his annual Dreamforce convention — an occasion for which he stated he needed to rent a whole bunch of off-duty police to supply safety.
“We don’t have sufficient cops, so in the event that they [National Guard] will be cops, I’m all for it,” he informed the New York Instances from aboard his personal airplane.
The Nationwide Guard is mostly not allowed to carry out home legislation enforcement duties when federalized by the president.
Final month, a federal decide dominated that Trump’s use of Nationwide Guard troopers in Los Angeles violated the Posse Comitatus Act — which restricts use of the navy for home legislation enforcement — and ordered that the troops not be utilized in legislation enforcement operations inside California.
Trump has additionally ordered the Nationwide Guard to deploy to cities reminiscent of Portland, Ore., and Chicago, citing the necessity to defend federal officers and property within the face of ongoing immigration protests. These efforts have been met with criticism from native leaders and are the topic of ongoing authorized battles.
President Trump has but to direct troops to Northern California, however recommended in September that San Francisco might be a goal for deployment. He has stated that cities with Democratic political management reminiscent of San Francisco, Chicago and Los Angeles “are very unsafe locations and we’re going to straighten them out.”
“I informed [Defense Secretary] Pete [Hegseth] we should always use a few of these harmful cities as coaching for our navy, our nationwide guard,” Trump stated.
Benioff’s name to ship Nationwide Guard troops to San Francisco drew sharp rebukes from a number of of the area’s elected Democratic leaders.
San Francisco Dist. Atty. Brooke Jenkins stated she “can’t be silent any longer” and threatened to prosecute any leaders or troops who harass residents in a fiery assertion on X.
“I’m chargeable for holding criminals accountable, and that features holding authorities and legislation enforcement officers too, once they cross the bounds of the legislation,” she stated. “In case you come to San Francisco and illegally harass our residents, use extreme power or cross another boundaries that the legislation prescribes, I can’t hesitate to do my job and maintain you accountable similar to I do different violators of the legislation each single day.”
State Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) additionally took to X to specific indignation, saying, “we neither want nor need an unlawful navy occupation in San Francisco.”
“Salesforce is a superb San Francisco firm that does a lot good for our metropolis,” he stated. “Inviting Trump to ship the Nationwide Guard right here is just not a kind of good issues. Fairly the other.”
San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie’s workplace supplied a extra muted response, touting the mayor’s efforts to spice up public security basically, however declining to immediately handle Benioff’s remarks.
Charles Lutvak, a spokesperson for the mayor, famous that the town is seeing internet beneficial properties in each law enforcement officials and sheriff’s deputies for the primary time in a decade. He additionally highlighted Lurie’s efforts to carry police staffing as much as 2,000 officers.
“Crime is down practically 30% citywide and at its lowest level in many years,” Lutvak stated. “We’re shifting in the correct route and can proceed to prioritize security and hiring whereas San Francisco legislation enforcement works each single day to maintain our metropolis protected.”
When contacted by The Instances on Friday night time, the workplace of Gov. Gavin Newsom, who vociferously opposed the deployment of Nationwide Guard troops in Los Angeles, didn’t problem a remark in response to Benioff.
Benioff and Newsom have lengthy been thought of buddies, with a relationship relationship again to when Newsom served as San Francisco’s mayor. Newsom even named Benioff as godfather to considered one of his kids, in response to the San Francisco Customary.
Benioff has typically referred to himself as an impartial. He has donated to a number of liberal causes, together with a $30-million donation to UC San Francisco to check homelessness, and has contributed to prior political campaigns of former President Obama, former Vice President Kamala Harris, Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.), and Hillary Clinton.
Nevertheless, he has additionally donated to the campaigns of former Home Speaker Paul Ryan and Sen. John McCain, each Republicans, and supported tougher-on-crime insurance policies and decreasing authorities spending.
Earlier this 12 months, Benioff additionally praised the Elon Musk-led federal cost-cutting effort often known as the Division of Authorities Effectivity.
“I totally assist the president,” Benioff informed the New York Instances this week. “I believe he’s doing an amazing job.”
