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2h ago

Benioff Backs Off Guard Call as Salesforce Pledges $15 Billion to San Francisco

Salesforce shifts to a local‑partnership message with new funding as Dreamforce opens under expanded security.

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The set up for the 2025 Dreamforce conference in San Francisco is underway. October 11, 2025. NBC Bay Area Photo/ Alyssa Goard.
FILE: A large Einstein cartoon looks out on the Dreamforce conference’s thoroughfare on Howard Street, on Sept. 12, 2023.

Overview

  • After telling the New York Times he supported President Trump and would welcome National Guard troops acting as police in San Francisco, Marc Benioff posted on X that public safety is primarily a city and state responsibility.
  • Benioff said Dreamforce annually brings in about 200 additional law‑enforcement professionals and that Salesforce hires hundreds of off‑duty officers for the event, citing an SFPD force of roughly 1,500 and his view that the city needs about 1,000 more officers.
  • Salesforce announced a $15 billion, five‑year investment in San Francisco for initiatives including an AI incubator and workforce development, and Benioff pledged an additional $1 million to bolster police hiring bonuses.
  • San Francisco leaders, including District Attorney Brooke Jenkins and Supervisors Rafael Mandelman and Matt Dorsey, rejected calls for federal troops as Elon Musk amplified support online, and officials noted there is no indication the Guard will deploy.
  • Dreamforce is set to draw roughly 45,000 to 50,000 attendees and an estimated $130 million in local revenue, with street closures and a heightened police presence, while the mayor points to a reported 30% drop in crime this year and federal law limiting Guard enforcement powers.