Trump again floats deploying federal agents to San Francisco
Trump suggests sending federal agents to San Francisco to address crime again
Trump suggested deploying federal forces to major Democratic-led cities, including San Francisco, to boost public safety, despite city officials highlighting recent declines in crime and ongoing safety initiatives.
SAN FRANCISCO - President Donald Trump on Thursday again raised the idea of deploying federal agents to San Francisco and other Democratic-led cities, arguing the move could help curb crime and improve public safety.
Trump critical of Mayor Lurie
Speaking during a Cabinet meeting at the White House, Trump said San Francisco could "quickly become a great city again," while suggesting progress under current leadership has been too slow.
"I had friends calling me up from San Francisco," he said. "Could you give him a chance? I said, absolutely, if you want, I will give him a chance. And he's, he's trying. He's doing okay. But we could do much better. We could make it a lot safer than it is. San Francisco. What a great city was. A great city. Could quickly become a great city again. But, you know, they're going very slowly."
He also called for stricter immigration enforcement as part of broader efforts to address crime in major Democrat-led cities, including Chicago, New York and Los Angeles.
The proposal echoes a plan Trump considered last fall, but ultimately did not pursue after San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie asked him not to send federal troops.
The other side:
Lurie responded Thursday by pointing to improvements in public safety.
"In San Francisco, crime is down 30%, encampments are at record lows, and our city is on the rise," Lurie said in a statement. "Public safety is my number one priority, and we are going to stay laser focused on keeping our streets safe and clean."
Visitors and residents in Union Square said they feel safe despite the national political attention.
"It feels really good out here, family-oriented," said Anthony Nicks of Fairfield. "I see the kids playing ping pong, people feel comfortable walking around so it feels really good, I feel comfortable."
Others said their experiences did not match negative perceptions.
"We took public transportation, it was really good, safe," said Silvia Lopez, visiting from Chicago with her grandson. "People were friendly."
San Francisco has reported a sharp decline in major crimes in recent years. This week, two deadly shootings brought the city's total homicides this year to 12, compared to 4 during the same period last year. City data shows that homicides in 2025 represented a 70-year-low.
Downtown safety efforts expand
City officials this week also announced an expansion of a downtown street ambassador program aimed at improving safety and cleanliness in high-traffic areas, including the Powell Street BART station.
The San Francisco Downtown Development Corporation said the privately funded program has helped reduce safety-related 911 calls and improve emergency response times, while increasing the number of people who say they feel safe downtown.
The mayor’s office said there have been no new conversations between Lurie and Trump since last fall, when the deployment plan was first discussed.