Donald Trump suggested Wednesday that San Francisco could be the next city he targets with federal troops, threatening a deployment that local and state officials said is unnecessary and unwelcome.
Speaking at the White House to FBI Director Kash Patel, the president said: “I would strongly recommend, at the request of government officials… that you start by looking at San Francisco… one of our great cities 10 years ago, 15 years ago, and now it’s a mess… Every American deserves to live in a society where they don’t have to fear being robbed, killed, robbed, raped, assaulted or shot.”
As with federal deployments to Portland, Chicago, Washington, D.C., and Los Angeles earlier this year, Democratic leaders in San Francisco and California have not called for the kind of crackdown that Trump is pushing on the basis of false and exaggerated claims of out-of-control crimes.
San Francisco, the hometown of California Governor Gavin Newsom, has predicted for months that the Bay Area city will end up in the president’s crosshairs. Trump has long complained about the city, Saying During his election campaign last year, he said his rival Kamala Harris had “ruined” it and that it had gone from “the best city” to “unlivable.”
However, Trump has become increasingly invested in sending National Guard troops to Democratic-run cities Long-standing federal law Which broadly prohibits the domestic use of US forces to enforce criminal laws. In Chicago and Los Angeles, the deployment coincided with aggressive and sometimes violent immigration raids, leading to mass protests that were met with a strong show of force by law enforcement.
A White House spokesman declined to comment on possible plans for San Francisco, referring to the president’s statements.
San Francisco and California leaders said they oppose Trump’s intervention and worked to communicate that there is no crime and violence crisis that requires outside help or a military response.
State Senator Scott Wiener He said A statement issued Wednesday said the city “does not need or want Trump’s personal army on our streets.”
“Contrary to Trump’s lie, none of the government officials here asked for a federal occupation,” the Democrat said. “We don’t need Trump’s authoritarian campaign in our city. Bottom line: Stay the hell out of San Francisco.”
Manu Raju, San Francisco’s public defender, said in an email that his office “condemns any attempt to deploy military forces against the residents of our city,” noting that the courts have already ruled against the deployment of the president’s National Guard.
“The use of armed force against civilians is an abuse of power and a misuse of public resources,” Raju said. “Our communities are strong, organized and deeply committed to peaceful civic engagement in the face of injustice – and we will continue to stand with residents who exercise their rights lawfully and peacefully.”
Newsom’s office said Wednesday that total violent crimes in California’s major cities fell 12.5% in 2025 compared to last year, with a 22% decline in San Francisco. The governor added that from 2019 to 2025, the city saw a 45% decrease in homicides and a 40% decrease in robberies.
The city is on track to record the lowest number of homicides in more than 70 years, according to a recent report San Francisco Chronicle analysis.
Newsom also said his administration recently expanded “crime suppression teams” in the San Francisco area, where state officers assist local agencies with a range of operations.
The governor, who is adopting his own anti-Trump social media strategy, posted footage of Trump saying that San Francisco was great 15 years ago. Response:”Why, thank you!” Newsom was mayor from 2004 until 2010.
Daniel Lurie, the current mayor, spoke alongside San Francisco’s mayor and attorney general earlier Wednesday, touting decreased crime, increased police recruitment and partnerships with state and federal agencies to combat drug trafficking, the Chronicle reported. I mentioned.
“We have a lot of work to do, but I trust our local law enforcement,” the city’s mayor said, according to the newspaper. San Francisco asks for federal help when it needs it, but local leaders are “getting this problem under control,” District Attorney Brooke Jenkins said.
Their confirmations came days after Marc Benioff, the billionaire CEO of Salesforce, made a statement It was in favor Regarding Trump sending National Guard troops to San Francisco, a comment that sparked violent reactions.
Immigrant rights advocates said they were preparing for the possibility of troops arriving or stepped-up law enforcement efforts.
Amanda Maya, director of the asylum program at the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights of the San Francisco Bay Area, a nonprofit, said the region’s rapid response networks, which advocate for immigrant communities, are making sure they have enough capacity to respond to a potential increase in arrests.
“My biggest concern is that it creates an environment of fear, not just for those who are undocumented, but for everyone,” about the potential deployment of troops, she said. “People will be afraid to leave their homes, go to work, and access basic services.” She said her clients are already avoiding visiting hospitals or going to the police to report crimes because of concern about immigration authorities.
Maya said defenders continue to hold training sessions entitled “Know Your Rights,” to remind migrants of the need to assert their rights to remain silent if detained, avoid signing documents and make sure they are in contact with lawyers, adding: “We are definitely preparing.”
Maya said it was particularly “wasteful and irresponsible” to consider deploying troops at a time when the federal government is shut down, cutting vital services: “This is completely unnecessary.”