Benioff’s SF Troop Comment Sparks Ron Conway’s Salesforce Foundation Resignation

In the wake of suggesting that federal troops be deployed to San Francisco, Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff is facing repercussions.

Prominent venture capitalist Ron Conway, a key early investor in tech giants like Google, Airbnb, and Stripe, has resigned from the board of the Salesforce Foundation, CNBC has confirmed. Conway, known for his long-standing support of the Democratic party with notable affiliation with VCs for Kamala, which included significant donations to funds linked to Kamala Harris’ recent election campaign.

A Salesforce spokesperson acknowledged Conway’s departure in an email, stating: “We have deep gratitude for Ron Conway and his incredible contributions to the Salesforce Foundation Board for over a decade,” and highlighting the foundation’s $250 million in donations to public schools and education nonprofits.

The controversy stems from Benioff’s comments regarding San Francisco’s public safety. In a statement, Benioff expressed his willingness to accept federal troops to the city, which is also home to Salesforce’s annual Dreamforce conference.

“We don’t have enough cops, so if they can be cops, I’m all for it,” Benioff initially remarked.

While Benioff later attempted to clarify his stance, emphasizing that public safety is the responsibility of city and state leaders, his initial comments were quickly amplified by Elon Musk and other prominent figures, leading to further scrutiny.

Musk characterized downtown San Francisco as facing a “drug zombie apocalypse,” and ex-president Trump labeled San Francisco “a mess,” suggesting the potential involvement of the National Guard.

According to sources close to the matter, Conway conveyed to Benioff that their “values were no longer aligned.” Despite Benioff’s history of donating to both Democratic and Republican politicians, he has largely favored Democratic candidates in presidential elections, including figures like Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, and Kamala Harris.

Conway is the founder and managing partner of SV Angel, a well-known seed-stage venture capital firm. He’s long been seen as an advocate for the tech industry in San Francisco, also founding advocacy group sf.citi and helping to launch FWD.us, an organization dedicated to immigration reform.

The Salesforce Foundation isn’t his only connection to Benioff’s philanthropic endeavors; Conway also is a major donor to the UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital.

Amid the controversy, California Governor Gavin Newsom and San Francisco leaders have reaffirmed that federal troops are not welcome in the city, asserting that crime rates are declining.

Conway has also supported Newsom, including in 2021, when he spoke out against a recall movement against the Democratic Governor.

The situation underscores the increasingly complex relationship between Silicon Valley’s tech elite and the political landscape. The episode also exposes the heightened sensitivity surrounding public safety in San Francisco, a city grappling with a number of challenges, including homelessness and drug-related crime. Furthermore, it highlights the growing ideological divide within the tech community itself, with figures like Musk taking increasingly vocal stances on socioeconomic matters, potentially putting pressure on other tech executives to define and defend their own positions and values. The long-term implications of Conway’s departure from the Salesforce Foundation and Benioff’s initial comments, along with public backlash, remain to be seen.