Salesforce said it was investing $15 billion in San Francisco over the next five years as CEO Marc Benioff’s support for deploying the National Guard to San Francisco continued to spark backlash on Monday.
The tech giant, which is the city’s largest private employer, said it would spend money on a new artificial intelligence incubator hub and invest in workforce development and training. The investment per year is equivalent to less than 10% of the company’s revenue, which was $37.9 billion in its most recent fiscal year.
The investment “reflects our deep commitment to our hometown — advancing AI innovation, creating jobs, and helping companies and our communities thrive in this incredible new era,” Benioff said in a statement. Salesforce didn’t immediately provide more details on the investments.
But Salesforce’s local investments and continued philanthropy have been overshadowed by Benioff’s support for President Donald Trump and his National Guard deployments to Democrat-led cities.
San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins responded to Benioff on Friday, calling Trump’s policies “government sponsored violence against U.S. citizens, families, and ethnic groups.” She said if government law enforcement came to the city to “illegally harass our residents, use excessive force or cross any other boundaries that the law proscribes, I will not hesitate to do my job and hold you accountable just like I do other violators of the law every single day.”
Benioff posted on X on Sunday that he commended Mayor Daniel Lurie’s leadership, progress on hiring more police and a drop in crime, saying “the city is moving in the right direction.” He said “the city needs more resources to keep San Franciscans safe year-round,” which is why he supported sending in troops. However, federal law prohibits National Guard troops from enforcing criminal laws.
Since the pandemic, Benioff has primarily lived on the Big Island of Hawaii, rather than San Francisco. He has also said he travels often and visits Salesforce offices around the world.
Salesforce reported profits of $1.9 billion in its most recent fiscal quarter ending July 31, and revenue of $10.2 billion, up 10% from the previous year.