Trump's Second Term, a Shaken San Francisco, and IT Money ─ The Benioff Controversy Reflecting the Cracks

The Tech Billionaire Once the "Face of Liberalism" Becomes an "Outcast" Overnight

Marc Benioff, CEO of cloud giant Salesforce, has long been known as a "progressive business leader" representing San Francisco. He has made substantial donations to support LGBTQ+ rights, climate change initiatives, and even funded new taxes to aid the homeless.The Washington Post

However, in October 2025, that image drastically changed. When President Trump (in his second term) proposed deploying the National Guard to San Francisco as a crime-fighting measure, it was reported that Benioff told The New York Times, "If they're short on police officers and the National Guard can fill that role, I'm all for it."newsweek.com

Even amid rising concerns about public safety, endorsing the deployment of federal troops is nearly a "taboo" in the liberal city of San Francisco. The news that Benioff, who had previously kept his distance from Trump, suddenly supported the president's plan quickly spread, igniting a massive backlash involving politics, business, and social media.The Washington Post

Politicians' Outrage: "This is a Gut Punch"

The first to react strongly was the core of San Francisco's city government. Rafael Mandelman, president of the Board of Supervisors, described Benioff's comments as a "gut punch," while the mayor, sheriff, and district attorney all criticized that "federal troops are not a solution."The Washington Post

Newsweek quoted a Democratic lawmaker saying, "You can't claim to support San Francisco while wishing for an occupation." The deployment of the National Guard recalls the hardline measures taken in Portland and Chicago during Trump's first term, where citizens were detained and immigrants were taken away without legal representation. These memories linger in the minds of liberals.The Times of India

Amidst this, progressive city council member Connie Chan and others are preparing a new city tax proposal to impose additional taxes on highly paid executives. The logic is that tech industry leaders should bear more of the burden for the city's financial, transportation, and homelessness issues. Local media reports that Benioff's comment was precisely the catalyst for this initiative.The Washington Post

Internal "Nausea" Reaction: Employees Felt "Betrayal of Values"

The backlash also spread internally. According to The Washington Post, when the New York Times article was posted in the company chat, about 200 Salesforce employees reacted with "nauseated face" emojis. There were also comments like "This is directly contrary to our values."The Washington Post

Salesforce is a company that has championed "equality" and "sustainability," prominently advocating for diversity and gender equality. The founder himself opposed Indiana's anti-LGBTQ law, threatening to reduce investment in the state, which forced the government to amend it—a "legendary tale" still recounted inside and outside the company. It is no wonder that employees were shocked when their leader welcomed military intervention.The Washington Post

On Reddit's r/salesforce and r/sanfrancisco, posts like "Benioff ruined his 'progressive brand' in an instant" and "He saved the city with money but is also afraid of it" stood out. A thread titled "Marc Benioff exposed himself as craven and hollow. He’s not alone" was also created, expressing distrust towards tech billionaires as a whole.Reddit

Social Media Divide: Liberal Disappointment vs. Calls for Safety

On social media, criticism of Benioff is dominant. On X (formerly Twitter), a local journalist posted a photo of a homeless person sleeping on the street, saying, "If you say you love this city, respond with care, not boots," garnering many likes. Another user cited Benioff's posts congratulating Trump's re-election, pointing out, "This is not a coincidence but part of his 'rightward shift'."The Washington Post

On the other hand, the minority voices saying "I want the National Guard to come" cannot be ignored. On r/sanfrancisco, posts like "There are so few police officers that it's scary to walk downtown at night" and "Citizens are paying the price for the 'tech bubble success' that was once spoken of like a dream" appear. Many posts defending Benioff's comments come from residents who have long been frustrated with the city's deteriorating safety.Reddit

In other words, social media reactions have become a battleground for two conflicting emotions: "betrayal of liberal values" and "desperate demand for safety." Benioff found himself caught in the middle of this divide.

Distance with Trump: From "Enemy" to "Business Partner"?

What exacerbated the chaos was the delicate distance with the Trump administration. Benioff did not attend the 2017 inauguration and stated at the Davos conference, "Our values do not change even if the president does." However, as Trump entered his second term and criticized San Francisco as a "hotbed of crime," while many tech companies made donations to the new White House ballroom, Benioff was reported to have attended a presidential dinner, indicating a gradual closening of relations.The Washington Post

For Salesforce, the U.S. government is its "largest and most important customer," generating billions of dollars in revenue. To secure large contracts with the Department of Defense and the Army, Benioff even established a new government-focused business division called "Missionforce." In this context, his comments supporting the National Guard were enough to raise suspicions that he might have aligned with the president for business reasons.The Washington Post

And Then the Apology: How Benioff Reframed His Words

Amid rising criticism, Benioff posted a lengthy apology on X the Friday after Dreamforce ended. He stated, "I deeply apologize for the anxiety my comments caused to my fellow San Franciscans and local leaders," and "Having experienced the largest and safest Dreamforce ever, I now believe the National Guard is unnecessary," completely reversing his stance.SFGATE

He further explained that his comments were driven by "excessive caution regarding event security." In fact, Benioff mentioned that he hires hundreds of police officers annually for Dreamforce, indicating that the perception of "not enough police officers" had been there for some time. However, expressing that anxiety in the form of supporting federal military intervention turned out to be a fatal political mistake.newsweek.com

Ironically, it was later reported that Benioff, along with NVIDIA's Jensen Huang, persuaded Trump to withdraw the National Guard deployment plan for San Francisco. The president stated, "At the request of my friends, I will refrain this time," and ultimately, the federal troop "surge" was canceled in agreement with Mayor Daniel Lurie.People.com

The Man Who Has Invested in San Francisco More Than Anyone

It should not be forgotten the scale of Benioff's financial contributions to San Francisco. He and his wife Lynne have made donations amounting to hundreds of millions of dollars to local children's hospitals and research institutions. In 2025 alone, they contributed $100 million to UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital and $39 million to public schools, educational nonprofits, and hospitals in the city through Salesforce. The total donations to the Bay Area exceed $1 billion.The Washington Post

His roots lie in a local business family spanning four generations. From a young age, he was immersed in programming, became Oracle's youngest VP, and founded Salesforce in 1999. He grew it into San Francisco's largest private employer and contributed $7.9 million to the "Yes Campaign" during the city's debate over the homelessness tax "Proposition C."The Washington Post

Therefore, some liberal leaders avoid simple "condemnation." Hillary Clinton commented, "We should evaluate him based on everything he has done for the community," acknowledging his achievements as a pioneer of corporate philanthropy while also stating that he should be held accountable for his comments.The Washington Post

Aaron Holbert from the Oakland think tank "Project on Private Wealth and Democracy" analyzes the incident as "a moment that revealed the dangers of elevating the ultra-wealthy to 'citizen heroes.'" While they wield more influence than citizens without being elected, that power can be used for good or ill.The Washington Post

Can Tech Billionaires and Liberal Cities "Coexist"?

San Francisco has long been a symbolic city where tech and liberal politics coexist. While the city government demands homelessness taxes and minimum wage hikes from companies, tech companies support the city with high-paying jobs and donations, with Benioff at the forefront. The media dubbed him the "most woke business leader" in this context.The Washington Post

However, since the pandemic, the expansion of remote work, safety concerns, and drug issues have increased downtown vacancy rates. Benioff himself moved to Hawaii and began making harsh comments about San Francisco's current state. In 2023, he threatened to move Dreamforce to another city, and by the time of his National Guard comments in 2025, his actions seemed to be a mix of "love for the city" and "frustration with the city."The Washington Post##HTML_TAG