Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff Retracts National Guard Remarks Amid Backlash

Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff has retracted his earlier suggestion to deploy the National Guard in San Francisco, following significant criticism from city officials and community leaders. In a recent post on X, Benioff stated, "Having listened closely to my fellow San Franciscans and our local officials, and after the largest and safest Dreamforce in our history, I do not believe the National Guard is needed to address safety in San Francisco." He added, "My earlier comment came from an abundance of caution around the event, and I sincerely apologize for the concern it caused."

The controversy began after Benioff expressed support for President Donald Trump's proposal to deploy National Guard troops to cities led by Democratic politicians, including San Francisco. His remarks were reportedly motivated by concerns over public safety during Salesforce's annual Dreamforce conference. However, the comments led to swift backlash. Venture capitalist Ron Conway resigned from the board of the Salesforce Foundation, reportedly telling Benioff in an email, "I now barely recognize the person I have so long admired." Additionally, an event featuring Benioff and San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie was canceled, with organizers citing rain.

State Senator Scott Wiener, representing San Francisco, commented, "I'm grateful that Marc walked back his call for the National Guard to be deployed in San Francisco. Marc has done so many good things for our city—and supported so many civic needs—and I'm glad to see this shift."