San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie speaks during a press conference at San Francisco City Hall on October 23, 2025 in San Francisco, California.
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San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie, who has recently been embroiled in a national debate over safety in big cities, told CNBC on Thursday that he feels “pressure every day” to continue improving conditions for residents.
Last week, President Donald Trump withdrew his “federal surge” plan in San Francisco. The possibility of deploying the National Guard made headlines because sales force CEO Marc Benioff told the New York Times that he supports President Trump’s call to send federal troops to New York City.
Benioff’s opinion was supported by Elon Musk and David Sachs, two prominent technologists with close ties to the Trump administration. Amid growing criticism, Benioff quickly retracted his statement.
Unlike California Gov. Gavin Newsom, Mr. Lurie has sought to avoid conflict with Mr. Trump since taking office in January. But he has been outspoken about the city’s progress in business development and crime, often citing data to back up his claims.
In an interview Thursday, Lurie’s first on TV since the Trump scandal, the mayor said there is a lot of hard work ahead.
Asked about support from technology leaders, Lurie said, “We felt that pressure in January, and we feel it today.” “I think they understand…When San Francisco is strong, America is strong.”
Lurie, a moderate Democrat, pointed to a body of data showing the city is moving toward post-pandemic recovery, driven in large part by a boom in investment and use of artificial intelligence. According to CBRE venture funding data, 2025 is expected to surpass the record set in 2021, thanks to AI investments in San Francisco and Silicon Valley.
Additionally, crime rates are down 30% from 2024 as event bookings and tourism increase, residential real estate becomes scarce and the office market heats up.
“There’s a lot of competition in the world, and it’s getting more competitive,” Lurie said. “We don’t need anything that hinders that rise.”
Lurie also uses her philanthropy to work with the city to clean streets and support small businesses. He told CNBC on Thursday that the San Francisco Downtown Development Authority has now raised $50 million for the effort, up from $40 million at launch.
The goal is to spark a comeback with the help of the city’s tech boom, he said, but to pave the way for all businesses to thrive.
“What we’re trying to build here is a broader revitalization at City Hall,” Lurie said. “Our job is to create the conditions for these (tech) companies, as well as our restaurants and small businesses, to succeed. We’re removing red tape and letting you know we’re open for business. We want you to be here and we want you to be a part of our community.”
