Key Takeaways
- Comedians Kumail Nanjiani and Ilana Glazer canceled their Dreamforce performance following CEO Marc Benioff’s controversial Trump support remarks
- Benioff faced significant backlash from Silicon Valley leaders including Ron Conway’s resignation
- The CEO later apologized and walked back his National Guard comments while donating $1 million to police hiring
Comedians Exit Dreamforce Over Benioff’s Trump Remarks
Comedians Kumail Nanjiani and Ilala Glazer have canceled their scheduled performance at Salesforce’s Dreamforce conference after CEO Marc Benioff expressed support for deploying National Guard troops in San Francisco – remarks widely seen as backing President Trump.
The controversy erupted when Benioff told the New York Times that Trump should use the National Guard to address crime in the city. The comments drew immediate criticism from Silicon Valley philanthropists and Democratic supporters.
Benioff’s Apology and Reversal
By Friday, Benioff completely reversed his position and issued a public apology on social media platform X.
“I do not believe the National Guard is needed to address safety in San Francisco,” he wrote on social media site X. “My earlier comment came from an abundance of caution around the event, and I sincerely apologize for the concern it caused.”
Salesforce confirmed the comedians’ cancellation but neither performer publicly cited Benioff’s remarks as the reason. A company source claimed Nanjiani fell ill, prompting Glazer to cancel as well.
Both comedians have historically been critical of Trump and his anti-immigrant policies. Glazer recently participated in “No Kings” protests against authoritarian policies and promoted upcoming demonstrations scheduled for October 18.
High-Profile Backlash and Resignations
The controversy cast a shadow over Dreamforce, Salesforce’s flagship conference that attracts nearly 50,000 attendees and generates $130 million for San Francisco.
Prominent Silicon Valley venture capitalist Ron Conway resigned from the Salesforce Foundation board in protest, telling Benioff in an email obtained by the New York Times that he “now barely recognize the person I have so long admired.”
“Your obsession with and constant annual threats to move Dreamforce to Las Vegas is ironic, since it is a fact that Las Vegas has a higher rate of violent crime than San Francisco,” Conway wrote. “San Francisco does not need a federal invasion because you don’t like paying for extra security for Dreamforce.”
Conway, known as the “Godfather of Silicon Valley” for early investments in Google and Facebook, received acknowledgment from Salesforce for his “incredible contributions” over more than a decade.
Additional Criticism and Damage Control
Benioff attempted to contain the fallout by emphasizing public safety responsibility lies with city and state leaders. He committed an additional $1 million to fund hiring bonuses for new police officers.
The CEO, who identifies as independent but has supported Democratic causes, has repeatedly threatened to move Dreamforce to Las Vegas over safety concerns despite the conference’s significant economic impact.
Entrepreneur Laurene Powell Jobs added to the criticism in a Wall Street Journal essay, challenging Benioff’s assertion that “no one has given more to San Francisco.”
“The message beneath that comment was unmistakable: In his eyes, generosity is an auction—and policy is the prize awarded to the highest bidder,” she wrote. “But giving that expects control is anything but generous.”
In the comedians’ absence, David Spade performed as the conference’s closing act on Thursday. Salesforce recently announced a $15 billion investment in San Francisco over five years to advance artificial intelligence initiatives.
