Tech Industry Reacts to Benioff’s Call for National Guard

Salesforce founder Marc Benioff's support for President Donald Trump's proposal to deploy the National Guard to San Francisco has sparked outrage among local politicians. City Hall representatives have described the move as an affront to San Francisco. Meanwhile, key figures in the tech industry have remained silent to avoid entanglement in the complex political issue.

Elon Musk expressed support for Benioff's statement, describing it as the 'only solution' at this point. Benioff, who has historically supported liberal causes, now aligns with other billionaires who have shown favor towards Trump. This shift is seen as a pivotal moment in the ongoing cultural debate over DEI, immigration laws, and more within the tech community.

Venture capitalist David Sacks responded to Benioff's remarks with a dismissive comment towards liberals. Others offered more nuanced reactions, such as Adam Nathan, CEO of Blaze AI, who acknowledged San Francisco's persistent drug issues while partially agreeing with Benioff.

The National Guard has been deployed to cities like Portland, L.A., and Chicago, but courts have blocked these actions, citing insufficient evidence of uncontrollable crime. Similar issues are noted in San Francisco, but the question of military involvement remains contentious.

Garry Tan, CEO of Y Combinator, argued against the need for the National Guard, advocating instead for judicial reform to address the city's drug problems. This highlights the legal challenges in tackling San Francisco's ongoing issues.