Donald Trump revealed that tech executives, including Nvidia's Jensen Huang and Salesforce's Marc Benioff, convinced him to cancel plans for a troop surge in San Francisco. The decision came amid concerns over the city's safety during a major conference. This highlights the growing influence of wealthy tech leaders on national policy decisions.
On October 24, 2025, Donald Trump announced via social media that he had intended to deploy troops to San Francisco over the weekend but was persuaded otherwise by several tech billionaires. "Friends of mine who live in the area called last night to ask me not to go forward with the surge," Trump wrote, naming "great people like [Nvidia CEO] Jensen Huang, [Salesforce CEO] Marc Benioff, and others." He added that they assured him "the future of San Francisco is great. They want to give it a ‘shot.’ Therefore, we will not surge San Francisco on Saturday. Stay tuned!"
The influence of tech executives on Trump has been evident in recent months, with leaders offering flattery, awards, and substantial campaign donations. Many have business interests tied to federal policies on AI regulation, cryptocurrency, tariffs, and contracts. This episode centers on San Francisco's safety issues, particularly around Salesforce's Dreamforce conference.
On October 10, Benioff, speaking from his private plane en route to San Francisco, expressed frustration over heightened security needs for the event due to urban challenges like drug use and homelessness. He advocated doubling the city's police force by 1,000 officers and supported federal troop deployment. "We don’t have enough cops, so if they can be cops, I’m all for it," he said, though federal troops generally cannot act as local police without exceptions.
Benioff voiced strong support for Trump: "I fully support the president. I think he’s doing a great job." During the interview, Trump's voice was audible in the background as Benioff watched a YouTube video on an Israeli hostage deal, praising the president's role. Benioff recounted praising Trump at a UK state dinner with King Charles and shared a photo with Elon Musk and a Tesla robot, endorsing Musk's DOGE initiative. Musk later commented on social media that "SF downtown is a drug zombie apocalypse" and backed federal intervention.
The remarks drew criticism from California Governor Gavin Newsom, a former San Francisco mayor and Benioff ally. On October 17, after a successful Dreamforce, Benioff apologized: "Having listened closely to my fellow San Franciscans and our local officials... I do not believe the National Guard is needed... I sincerely apologize for the concern it caused."
Trump had earlier directed FBI Director Kash Patel to investigate San Francisco's decline, stating on October 19, "I think they want us in San Francisco." Benioff reportedly called Trump on October 22, helping to avert the surge. This incident underscores how personal connections with tech billionaires are increasingly shaping decisions on urban militarization, bypassing traditional policy channels.