Tech billionaire Marc Benioff has expressed full support for President Donald Trump and called for the deployment of the National Guard to his home city of San Francisco to address security concerns. The Salesforce CEO made the remarks in an interview ahead of his annual Dreamforce conference, highlighting the need for more police presence. This stance marks a shift for Benioff, who has donated millions to liberal causes in recent years.
Marc Benioff, CEO of Salesforce, voiced strong backing for President Trump in a New York Times interview, stating, "I fully support the president. I think he’s doing a great job." He urged the deployment of the National Guard to San Francisco, saying, "We don’t have enough cops, so if [the National Guard] can be cops, I’m all for it."
Benioff's comments come one week before the 2024 Dreamforce conference in San Francisco, where he has annually paid out of pocket for off-duty police to enhance security in the convention area. He promised increased visibility, noting, "You’ll see. When you walk through San Francisco next week, there will be cops on every corner. That’s how it used to be."
San Francisco has faced ongoing challenges with crime and homelessness in recent years. Trump himself addressed the city's issues in August, telling reporters in the Oval Office, "You look at what the Democrats have done to San Francisco—they’ve destroyed it. We can clean that up, too—we’ll clean that one up, too."
This support represents an about-face for Benioff, whose company Salesforce donated over $23 million to the left-wing Tides Foundation between 2022 and 2024. Salesforce also contributed $1.5 million to the New Venture Fund and launched the "Pledge 1%" program in 2019, now managed by Tides, with at least 9,000 companies participating. The firm has advocated for transgender rights, including support for transgender athletes and military service.
Benioff recently dined across from Trump at King Charles' state dinner in Windsor Castle last month, where he expressed gratitude for the president's actions. The White House has not commented on any plans to deploy the National Guard to San Francisco.