Marc Benioff, the tech billionaire, recently expressed his desire for President Trump to deploy the National Guard to San Francisco during an interview. He mentioned that he and other influential figures in Silicon Valley are in full support of the president’s policies.
Benioff, who is the CEO of Salesforce and owner of Time magazine, shared these thoughts with the New York Times. He specifically called for increased federal law enforcement presence ahead of the upcoming Dreamforce conference in the city.
“We don’t have enough police officers, so if the National Guard can step in, I’m all for it,” he stated during the interview while aboard his private jet.
He also indicated that he would need to pay for several off-duty law enforcement officers to secure the conference area and remarked that the city should “refund” the police, as reported by the Times.
San Francisco currently has around 1,500 police officers, a shortage Benioff highlighted, proposing that the count should be nearly doubled.
“You know what? If you walk through San Francisco next week, there’ll be police on every corner,” he remarked. “That’s how it used to be.”
Throughout their nearly hour-long dialogue, Benioff praised Trump multiple times. “I fully support the president. I think he’s doing a great job,” he said.
The relationship between Trump and Benioff seems to be growing closer; the two met recently at a state dinner hosted by King Charles, where Trump expressed appreciation for Benioff’s support.
Benioff has contributed over $1 billion to various causes in the Bay Area over the past 25 years, asserting, “I don’t think anyone has hired more people, given more money, or supported San Francisco more than me.”
However, his comments regarding the National Guard have not sat well with some local politicians. They challenged his call for military involvement in the city.
Supervisor Myrna Melgar expressed her confusion over Benioff’s request, stating her disappointment and indicating that his views might not align with those of most San Franciscans.
District Attorney Brooke Jenkins was even more outspoken, addressing a series of heated remarks circulating online. “I can’t stay silent anymore,” she said. Jenkins emphasized her commitment to holding anyone accountable who unlawfully harasses residents, regardless of the uniform they wear.
Notably, Trump has previously sent the National Guard to cities like Los Angeles, Memphis, and Chicago to assist with various operations.
