President Trump has changed course. After threatening to send the National Guard into San Francisco, he’s backing off.
The move caps days of tension after the president’s threat rattled local officials and immigrant advocates who feared mass arrests and military-style enforcement in one of the nation’s most immigrant-rich cities. The White House now says the city will get a chance to handle its problems on its own, but many remain skeptical about whether the administration’s pause will last.
Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform that the federal government had been preparing to “surge” San Francisco on Saturday but decided to hold off after a call from Mayor Daniel Lurie—who Trump said was “making substantial progress.”
The president said he told the mayor it would be “faster, stronger and safer” if federal forces intervened but agreed to “give him a chance.” He ended the post by writing, “Therefore, we will not surge San Francisco on Saturday. Stay tuned.”
President Trump says he’s backing off plans to “surge” San Francisco with federal forces after a call with Mayor Daniel Lurie. He says the city deserves a chance to handle its problems on its own.
‘We’ll Be Watching’
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed the decision during Thursday’s press briefing.
She said Trump spoke directly with the mayor, who promised to address the city’s problems without federal intervention.
“The president heard him out,” she said. “He said, ‘Okay, I’ll give you a chance. We’ll be watching. And if you need us, we are here.’”
Military.com reached out to the Department of Homeland Security, which did not comment further beyond referring to the president’s Truth Social post.
Reporters raise their hands to as a question as White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt speaks during a press briefing at the White House, Thursday, Oct. 23, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
Advocates Still on Alert
The Immigrant Legal Resource Center in San Francisco told Military.com the announcement eased some fears but not all.
“We welcome that decision not to send them,” said Jehan Laner, a senior staff attorney with the group. “But a lot of people remain vigilant in case there are mass arrests elsewhere in the Bay.”
For days, talk of troops had the city on edge. Families kept children home. Workers skipped jobs. Businesses lost customers.
“People didn’t want to be harassed on their way to work or asked to show papers,” Laner said. “Even rumors of immigration activity were enough to cause panic.”
Community networks activated rapid response hotlines to verify reports of immigration raids. Legal volunteers stood by to help anyone detained.
Advocates continue urging residents to know their rights, the right to stay silent, to call an attorney, and to refuse entry without a signed judicial warrant.
“Administrative warrants don’t allow agents to enter your home,” Laner said. “We’re reminding people to stay calm, stay informed, and stay organized.”
Even with the president’s pause, Laner says anxiety has not fully faded.
“We’ve seen before when the Guard wasn’t supposed to come, and then they came,” she said. “People still feel like they’re under a target.”
