San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie speaks during a press conference at San Francisco City Hall on Oct. 23, 2025 in San Francisco, California.
San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie, who was recently thrust into a national debate about the safety of big cities, told CNBC on Thursday that he feels "pressure every day" to continue improving conditions for residents.
Last week, President Donald Trump reversed plans for a "federal surge" in San Francisco. The potential National Guard deployment hit the headlines when Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff told the New York Times that he'd support Trump's call for federal troops to be sent to the city.
Benioff's sentiments were supported by Elon Musk and David Sacks, high-profile techies with close ties to the Trump administration. Benioff quickly backtracked as criticism mounted.
Unlike California Governor Gavin Newsom, Lurie has tried to avoid clashing with Trump since taking office in January. But he has spoken up to say that the city is progressing on business development and crime, often citing data to back up his claims.
In Thursday's interview, Lurie's first on television since the Trump incident, the mayor said there's plenty of hard work ahead.
"I felt that pressure in January, I feel it today," Lurie said, when asked about support from tech leaders. "I think they understand... when San Francisco is strong, America is strong."