Trump threatens to deploy The National Guard to San Francisco

Monday 20 October 2025 - 08:00

By: Sahili Aya

Trump threatens to deploy The National Guard to San Francisco

Former U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened to deploy National Guard troops to San Francisco, extending a series of controversial interventions in cities led by Democrats. Speaking during a televised interview on Fox News on Sunday, Trump said, “We’re going to San Francisco,” when asked if the Californian city would be next on his list.

Since returning to office, Trump has already deployed National Guard forces to Los Angeles, Washington, and Memphis, against the wishes of local Democratic authorities. The stated aim, according to Trump, is to combat illegal immigration and urban crime—a justification widely condemned by political opponents. Previous deployments in Chicago and Portland were halted by court rulings citing insufficient legal grounds.

Trump claimed that San Francisco differs from those cases, insisting that “they want us there.” His remark appeared to reference tech billionaire Marc Benioff, CEO of Salesforce, who had previously suggested that military intervention might help restore order in the city. However, Mayor Daniel Lurie and other local officials have strongly rejected any federal deployment, and Benioff has since apologized for his comments.

On Sunday, Trump also repeated his threat to invoke the Insurrection Act, an old law permitting the use of military force on U.S. soil. “Don’t forget, I can use the Insurrection Act,” he warned, fueling further criticism from civil rights organizations and Democratic leaders who accuse him of overstepping presidential authority.

National Guard troops, while primarily trained for disaster response, can also be deployed abroad or within the United States during states of emergency. Trump has previously described certain U.S. cities as potential “training grounds” for soldiers—remarks that have alarmed both lawmakers and the Pentagon.