Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff, a heavyweight in Democratic fundraising circles, has broken ranks with his party by backing President Donald Trump’s push to deploy the National Guard in San Francisco amid soaring crime and disorder. Benioff’s comments, made during a New York Times interview, come as the city grapples with years of failed policies that have left streets overrun with open drug markets, rampant theft, and unchecked homelessness.
Benioff didn’t hold back in praising the administration’s approach. “I fully support the president,” he said. “I think he’s doing a great job.”
He went further, endorsing the idea of federal troops stepping in to bolster what he sees as a severe shortage of local police—estimating the city needs about 1,000 more officers to restore order. This stance marks a stark shift for Benioff, who has poured millions into liberal causes, including a 2018 ballot measure that hiked business taxes to fund homeless programs, and even hosted a lavish fundraiser for Hillary Clinton at his Presidio mansion.
The call echoes Trump’s own Oval Office remarks from August, where he listed Democratic-run cities plagued by chaos and vowed action.
“You look at what the Democrats have done to San Francisco—they’ve destroyed it,” Trump said. “We’ll clean that one up, too.”
Benioff, a close ally of California Governor Gavin Newsom—serving as godfather to one of Newsom’s children—now finds himself at odds with state leaders who are suing the Trump administration over similar Guard deployments in Los Angeles.
San Francisco’s downward spiral isn’t new, but it’s accelerated under progressive governance that prioritizes permissive approaches over enforcement. Despite Newsom’s early promises as mayor to tackle homelessness, the crisis has exploded, with tent encampments, fentanyl-fueled overdoses, and brazen shoplifting forcing major retailers to shutter stores. Critics argue this isn’t mere incompetence but a deliberate erosion of law and order, where soft-on-crime district attorneys and defund-the-police rhetoric have empowered criminals while handcuffing cops.
Benioff’s pivot suggests even deep-pocketed insiders are fed up, especially as his own Dreamforce conference looms—he’s hiring hundreds of off-duty officers to secure the event, admitting, “When you walk through San Francisco next week, there will be cops on every corner. That’s how it used to be.”
Local Democrats aren’t taking it lightly. City Supervisor Matt Dorsey blasted the idea on X as “a slap in the face to San Francisco,” insisting it’s an insult to the police force they’ve been trying to rebuild. State Senator Scott Wiener called it an “illegal military occupation,” while Assemblyman Matt Haney decried it as a “direct assault” on the city. Their outrage rings hollow to many, given how quickly the streets were cleaned up for a Chinese delegation visit last year—proving the mess is fixable when political will exists, but apparently not for everyday residents.
Benioff’s remarks have rippled through tech circles, with White House adviser David Sacks celebrating the defection on X. As more Silicon Valley figures quietly align with Trump-era policies on security and economic revival, it exposes the cracks in the left’s grip on California. If a megadonor like Benioff is willing to invite federal intervention, it raises questions about who’s really pulling the strings in these failing blue strongholds—and whether the chaos serves some hidden agenda to keep power centralized in Sacramento and beyond.
Why the National Debt Is the Looming Threat to Your Retirement Plans
The Hidden Crisis No One Is Talking About
Every day, headlines warn about inflation, market volatility, and global instability—but the greatest looming threat to your retirement might be something far more fundamental: America’s skyrocketing national debt.
You can learn more about how the national debt affects you by reading this 3-minute report titled, “Debt Will Hit $40T in 2026: Prepare Your Retirement Now“.
With debt growing faster than most Americans can possibly fathom, the government’s borrowing habits have reached historic—and dangerous—levels. To cover spending, Washington is making moves with their budget packages, tariffs, and taxes. Is it enough? No. It’s not even close to what would be necessary to stop out-of-control debt, let alone reverse it.
How Debt Erodes Your Nest Egg
There are only so many levers government and the Federal Reserve can pull to try to protect Americans, assuming that’s even a top priority for them. Unfortunately, pulling one level to relive one pressure invariably adds pressure from another direction. This is why prices keep going up even as inflation reportedly slows.
For retirees and pre-retirees, that’s a perfect storm. The dollars you’ve worked hard to save lose value, and your cost of living increases while your investments lag behind.
If you’re relying solely on paper-based assets—stocks, bonds, or mutual funds—you’re essentially tied to the same system that’s creating the problem. It’s a system that was designed to work well in the 20th century, not in today’s world with people living longer and the dollar rapidly losing value.
This is why the 3-minute report, “Debt Will Hit $40T in 2026: Prepare Your Retirement Now,” is so important.
The Precious Metals Hedge
Thousands of Americans are looking for a tangible, time-tested hedge: physical gold and silver.
Unlike paper assets, precious metals aren’t dependent on government policy or the stock market’s mood swings. They’re real, finite resources that have maintained value for thousands of years through wars, recessions, and inflationary periods.
In fact, during times of high inflation and fiscal instability, gold often performs its best—because it’s seen as a store of value when faith in the dollar weakens. This is why prices have skyrocketed this year and are expected by many economists to continue going up in the future.
Take Control with a Gold IRA
One of the most effective ways to protect your retirement from national debt fallout is through a self-directed Gold IRA. This IRS-approved account lets you hold physical gold and silver within your retirement portfolio, giving you:
- Direct ownership of your assets
- A hedge against inflation and dollar decline
- The control to diversify beyond Wall Street
Augusta Precious Metals specializes in helping Americans just like you take this step with confidence. The company has earned a strong reputation for transparency, education, and personalized service—making it one of the most trusted names in the industry.
The Next Step: Secure Your Financial Future
Augusta Precious Metals has helped thousands of Americans with at least $50,000 to invest from their IRAs, 401(K)s, TSPs, and other retirement accounts safeguard their savings through precious metals.
If you’re concerned about what the rising national debt could mean for your future, now is the time to act.
Read this 3-minute report titled, “Debt Will Hit $40T in 2026: Prepare Your Retirement Now“ and learn the simple steps you can take to protect your retirement.
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