San Francisco, a city often at the crossroads of American politics and innovation, narrowly avoided an unprecedented federal law enforcement surge this week after a dramatic series of private negotiations involving President Donald Trump, tech industry titans, and the city’s new mayor. The episode, which unfolded between October 22 and 24, 2025, laid bare the powerful, sometimes hidden, levers that shape national policy—especially when Silicon Valley’s interests are at stake.
Earlier in the week, President Trump made clear his intention to deploy federal agents—possibly including the National Guard and immigration enforcement teams—into San Francisco. According to The Hill, he cited rampant crime, homelessness, and what he called a “breakdown of law and order” as justifications for the move. The plan echoed previous federal deployments in cities like Portland and Chicago, but San Francisco’s status as the beating heart of the tech industry set this episode apart.
By Thursday, October 24, the situation had reached a boiling point. Over 100 federal agents were reportedly preparing for immigration raids at a U.S. Coast Guard base near San Francisco, as detailed by Democracy Now!. Outside, protesters gathered, some clashing with police who used flash-bang grenades to disperse the crowds. City officials, including members of the Board of Supervisors, joined demonstrations at City Hall in a rare show of unity against the federal surge.
Yet, as public dissent grew louder, the real turning point was happening behind closed doors. President Trump announced on social media that he was canceling the planned surge after receiving what he described as persuasive calls from his “friends”—NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang and Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff. Trump told reporters, “I got a great call from some incredible people, some friends of mine, very successful people,” specifically naming Huang and Benioff. He said they assured him that San Francisco was making genuine progress in tackling crime. “So we are holding off that surge, everybody. And we’re going to let them see if they can do it,” Trump declared, as reported by The Guardian.
Trump also credited San Francisco’s new mayor, Daniel Lurie, for influencing his decision. In a phone call on October 22, Lurie—an anti-poverty philanthropist and centrist Democrat—asked the president for a chance to continue his city’s recovery efforts. “I told him I think he is making a mistake because we can do it much faster, and remove the criminals that the law does not permit him to move,” Trump recounted, according to The Hill. “But let’s see how you do?” he added, leaving the door open for future intervention if results didn’t materialize quickly.
Mayor Lurie, who took office after defeating London Breed in 2024, has steered clear of national political squabbles, focusing instead on public safety and economic revitalization. At a press conference, Lurie told reporters, “San Francisco is on the rise. Visitors are coming back, buildings are getting leased and purchased, and workers are coming back to the office.” He welcomed continued cooperation with federal agencies on narcotics enforcement but drew a line against militarized immigration sweeps, warning that such actions would hinder the city’s fragile recovery. “But having the military and militarized immigration enforcement in our city will hinder our recovery,” Lurie said, as quoted by The Guardian.
The drama unfolded against a backdrop of national attention and local anxiety. Fentanyl and other narcotics remain a significant challenge on San Francisco’s streets, but city officials have pointed to signs of progress: overall crime is down 26% compared to the previous year, and car break-ins are at a 22-year low. Lurie’s approach—eschewing public confrontation with Trump and seeking pragmatic solutions—won praise from both political allies and some unlikely quarters. Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi lauded Lurie’s “exceptional leadership,” while California Governor Gavin Newsom remarked on social media, “Trump has finally, for once, listened to reason.”
Still, not all were convinced that the threat had truly passed. Trump made it clear that the federal government reserved the right to intervene if the city’s progress stalled. “If it doesn’t work out, we’ll do it for you very quickly,” he warned. Some local leaders voiced skepticism. Supervisor Connie Chan, who is politically to the left of Lurie, remarked, “We cannot trust Trump.” Another supervisor, Jackie Fielder, criticized Lurie’s willingness to coordinate with federal law enforcement, calling it “a dangerous invitation to a fascist administration.”
The episode also reignited debates about the influence of wealth and business in American democracy. Trump said he received “four or five calls” from prominent business figures urging him to let local leaders handle the situation. “They’re the biggest people in the world, a lot of the high tech,” he said at the White House. “They want to do it. And I said, ‘I am so honored to let you do it.’” NVIDIA declined to comment on the calls, while Marc Benioff confirmed speaking to Trump but offered no further details.
Meanwhile, on the ground in San Francisco, the tension was palpable. Protesters and advocacy groups, including Mission Action, warned that even a canceled surge might only be a temporary reprieve. Laura Valdez, the organization’s director, told demonstrators, “Please remember that this might be the start of mass enforcement in our communities, and we need to prepare adequately. And even if it is not the start, we still need to be prepared. And this community is here to back you up.”
The legal and political ramifications were not far behind. Nancy Pelosi issued a stern warning that federal agents could face arrest by local police if they broke California law during any future sweeps. “While the President may enjoy absolute immunity courtesy of his rogue Supreme Court, those who operate under his orders do not. Our state and local authorities may arrest federal agents if they break California law—and if they are convicted, the President cannot pardon them,” Pelosi stated. In response, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche fired back on X, “Stand down or face prosecution. No one threatens our agents. No one will stop us from Making America Safe Again.”
For now, San Francisco has sidestepped a confrontation that could have had sweeping consequences for the city and the nation. But the episode stands as a stark reminder of how, in America’s corridors of power, a single phone call from the right person—or the right group of people—can sometimes move mountains, or at least keep federal agents at bay.
