On October 24, 2025, a political storm that had been brewing over San Francisco seemed to dissipate almost as quickly as it had gathered. President Donald Trump, who just days earlier had threatened to send a surge of federal agents—and possibly the National Guard—into the city, reversed course after a series of conversations with San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie and some of the Bay Area’s most influential tech leaders. The sudden about-face has sparked both relief and skepticism across the city, while highlighting the delicate dance between local and federal power in a polarized political climate.
According to ABC7 News, Mayor Lurie announced Thursday morning that President Trump had personally called him and said he was "calling off any plans for a federal deployment" in San Francisco. This came even as federal agents had already arrived at Coast Guard Island in Alameda, where they were met by protesters wary of what a federal presence might mean for their city. Lurie’s statement, posted to social media and reiterated at a press conference, was clear: "Late last night, I received a phone call from the President of the United States. I told him the same thing I told our residents: San Francisco is on the rise. Visitors are coming back, buildings are getting leased and purchased, and workers are coming back to the office. We have work to do, and we would welcome continued partnerships with the FBI, DEA, ATF, and U.S. Attorney to get drugs and drug dealers off our streets, but having the military and militarized immigration enforcement in our city will hinder our recovery."
President Trump, for his part, took to Truth Social to explain his decision. He said he was respecting Mayor Lurie’s request to call off the deployment, but made it known he thought the city was making a mistake: "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 remove." Trump also referenced conversations with Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang and Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff—two of the city’s most high-profile tech leaders—who, he said, called to express their optimism about San Francisco’s future and to urge against a federal crackdown.
As reported by the Associated Press, Trump told reporters, "I got a great call from some incredible people, some friends of mine, very successful people." He specifically mentioned Huang and Benioff, and said they told him San Francisco was working hard to reduce crime. Trump continued, "So we are holding off that surge, everybody. And we’re going to let them see if they can do it." He left the door open for future intervention, warning, "If it doesn’t work out, we’ll do it for you very quickly." U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents had already arrived at the Coast Guard base near the city Thursday morning, drawing protesters. By Friday, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement informed Alameda County Sheriff Yesenia Sanchez that the operation had been called off for the entire Bay Area, a region home to about 8 million people.
The White House’s decision was influenced not only by the appeals of business leaders but also by Mayor Lurie’s careful approach. Lurie, who took office in January 2025 after defeating incumbent London Breed, has governed as a centrist Democrat focused on public safety, economic recovery, and reversing San Francisco’s pandemic-fueled decline. He rarely weighs in on national politics and has avoided direct confrontation with the Republican president, choosing instead to focus on local issues and to keep his rhetoric measured and pragmatic. As Trump threatened to send in the National Guard earlier in the week, Lurie pointed to positive crime trends: overall crime was down 26% compared to the previous year, and car break-ins were at a 22-year low, according to city data cited by The Guardian. The California governor’s office reported earlier in October that homicides had fallen by 45% and robberies by 40% from 2019 to 2025, with the city on track for its lowest homicide count in more than 70 years.
At his press conference, Lurie emphasized the city’s progress: "San Francisco’s comeback is real." He explained that while he welcomed federal partnerships to combat drugs and crime, he opposed militarized immigration enforcement, arguing it would hinder the city’s recovery and the sense of safety among its residents. "Having the military and militarized immigration enforcement in our city will hinder our recovery," Lurie said, echoing concerns voiced by many city leaders and advocacy groups.
Reactions to Trump’s reversal were swift and varied. Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a San Francisco Democrat, praised Lurie’s leadership, saying he had "demonstrated exceptional leadership in his steadfast commitment to the safety and wellbeing of San Franciscans." California Governor Gavin Newsom also weighed in, noting, "Trump, has finally, for once, listened to reason." Newsom, who has often clashed with Trump over federal interventions in California, warned that the president’s decision could change at any moment: "If you think this story just ended – that it’s got a period or exclamation point – you know better." San Francisco Supervisor Connie Chan, a progressive who generally supports Lurie, voiced skepticism: "We cannot trust Trump." Supervisor Jackie Fielder, another left-leaning member of the Board of Supervisors, criticized the idea of increased cooperation with federal law enforcement, calling it "a dangerous invitation to a fascist administration."
Business leaders played a key role in shaping the outcome. Trump said he received "four or five calls" from high-profile tech executives urging him not to send federal forces and to give city leaders a chance to address crime on their own. Benioff, who had previously suggested bringing in the National Guard but later apologized, confirmed he spoke with Trump, though he declined to share details. Nvidia’s Huang declined to comment publicly, but Trump cited both men as influential voices in his decision.
Despite the temporary reprieve, uncertainty lingers. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem warned that the federal surge could resume if violence increases, referencing a truck that rammed into a Coast Guard station in the Bay Area the previous night. She stated, "If they don’t figure out how to protect our law enforcement officers and protect our Coast Guard members, that we would be forced to come in and protect those individuals." Lurie acknowledged the city must remain vigilant: "Our city remains prepared for any scenario. We have a plan in place that can be activated at any moment."
Community advocates and some city officials continue to push for stronger protections for immigrants and vulnerable communities, with calls for "safe zones" and emergency declarations if federal deployments resume. Meanwhile, the city’s leadership is keen to keep the focus on recovery and progress, rather than political confrontation.
For now, the standoff between San Francisco and the White House has ended in a rare moment of compromise, shaped as much by local leadership and business influence as by political calculation. But as both sides acknowledge, the situation could shift again in an instant, keeping city leaders and residents on alert—and reminding everyone just how fragile such truces can be.
