In an era defined by political polarization and fiery exchanges between Washington and blue-state cities, a rare moment of calm diplomacy emerged this week — and it came from San Francisco. President Donald Trump, long known for his harsh criticism of Democratic leaders, did something unexpected: he praised one.
On Thursday, Trump publicly commended San Francisco’s new mayor, Daniel Lurie, for “very nicely” persuading him to halt a planned immigration enforcement “surge” in the city. The compliment — strikingly devoid of the president’s usual insults or nicknames — marked an unusual détente between the Republican White House and one of America’s most liberal cities.
A Surprise Call from the President
The episode began late Wednesday night when Trump, according to Mayor Lurie, personally phoned him to discuss federal plans to deploy additional immigration enforcement agents and possibly National Guard troops to San Francisco.
“I spoke to Mayor Lurie last night and he asked, very nicely, that I give him a chance to see if he can turn it around,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform the following morning. “I told him, ‘It’s an easier process if we do it — faster, stronger, and safer — but, let’s see how you do.’”
Lurie confirmed the call at a press conference the next day, standing before a bank of cameras at City Hall. “He picked up the phone and called me,” Lurie said simply, describing what he characterized as a straightforward and respectful conversation. The president, Lurie clarified, “asked nothing of me” in return for calling off the operation.
Trump’s sudden restraint stunned observers. For years, he had used San Francisco as a rhetorical punching bag — a “failed city,” he called it, riddled with crime, homelessness, and mismanagement. Yet, in this rare instance, the president appeared willing to give its new leader a chance.
The Influence of Silicon Valley Allies
It wasn’t just Lurie’s tone that shifted Trump’s stance. According to Trump’s own post, “friends of mine who live in the area” vouched for the city’s progress since Lurie took office in January. Among those mentioned were Marc Benioff, the billionaire Salesforce CEO who has both criticized and courted the former president, and Jensen Huang, founder and CEO of Nvidia, now one of the world’s most valuable tech companies.
“They want to give it a shot,” Trump wrote. “Therefore, we will not surge San Francisco on Saturday. Stay tuned!”
The nod to local business leaders reflects a unique dynamic between Lurie — a centrist Democrat and heir to the Levi Strauss fortune — and Silicon Valley’s power brokers. Since his election last November, Lurie has emphasized rebuilding ties between City Hall and the tech industry, which had increasingly drifted toward Austin and Miami during the pandemic years. Those relationships, it seems, paid off in a moment of national tension.
A Pragmatist in a Polarized Era
At 48, Daniel Lurie represents a new brand of San Francisco leadership — pragmatic, business-minded, and determined to tackle the city’s woes without the ideological posturing that has long defined its politics. His victory over former Mayor London Breed signaled voter fatigue with the city’s entrenched political establishment and a hunger for results over rhetoric.
When Lurie took office, San Francisco faced daunting challenges: a post-pandemic economic slump, an empty downtown, an ongoing homelessness crisis, and a growing national reputation as a “city in decay.” Yet by many measures, his early tenure has shown promise.
According to the California governor’s office, the city has seen a 45% drop in homicides and a 40% reduction in robberies since 2019. A San Francisco Chronicle analysis found the city is on track to record its lowest homicide rate in over 70 years.
Still, the new mayor’s greatest test was never going to be local crime statistics — it was whether he could hold his ground in the face of the unpredictable force that is Donald Trump.
A Different Kind of Democrat
Unlike Governor Gavin Newsom, who relishes public sparring with Trump, Lurie has chosen a markedly different path. He rarely mentions the president by name, avoids personal attacks, and insists his focus is “on outcomes, not outrage.”
Even as Trump hinted at deploying troops to San Francisco, Lurie maintained a calm, steady tone. He issued video messages — direct to camera, often shot from his office — promising to protect immigrant communities and urging residents to respond peacefully. “While we cannot control the federal government,” he said earlier this week, “here in San Francisco, we define who we are.”
The contrast could not have been sharper. Where Newsom is combative, Lurie is conciliatory. Where others see political opportunity in clashing with Trump, Lurie sees risk — and seeks solutions instead. His approach, at least this time, worked.
Trump Steps Back — But For How Long?
Lurie told reporters that Trump “clearly conveyed” his decision to call off the planned federal operation, though details remain murky. It is unclear whether the president was referring to an immigration enforcement sweep, a National Guard deployment, or both.
Trump’s statement that “we will not surge San Francisco on Saturday” left open the possibility that enforcement could resume at a later date. He also named nearby Oakland as another potential target — though Oakland’s mayor, Barbara Lee, said she had not been contacted by the administration but was “ready to engage with anyone, at any level of government, to protect Oakland residents.”
For now, San Francisco appears to have avoided confrontation. But as one city official put it privately, “When Trump says ‘stay tuned,’ you never really exhale.”
Restoring Confidence in a City Under Scrutiny
At Thursday’s press conference, Lurie projected optimism. He cited the city’s “real progress” on crime, downtown recovery, and public safety. “San Francisco’s comeback is real,” he declared. “We’ve added police officers, our downtown is reopening, and people are returning to work.”
His message, directed as much to the White House as to his constituents, emphasized partnership over politics: “We welcome continued collaboration with federal agencies to make San Francisco safer.”
That tone has earned him praise from unexpected quarters. Nancy Pelosi, the former House Speaker and longtime representative of San Francisco, applauded Lurie’s calm leadership. “Mayor Lurie has demonstrated exceptional commitment to the safety and well-being of San Franciscans,” Pelosi said in a statement on X. “I salute him for reinforcing our city’s strength, optimism, and recovery.”
The Political Tightrope Ahead
For Daniel Lurie, the episode marks both a triumph and a warning. His diplomatic handling of Trump has bought San Francisco time — but not certainty. The president’s willingness to reconsider his decisions, often overnight, means the truce could prove fleeting.
Yet in a moment when national politics rewards outrage, Lurie’s restraint stands out. His approach — measured, respectful, and focused on results — may serve as a model for mayors and governors facing similar showdowns with Washington.
Whether or not Trump ultimately “stays stood down,” Lurie has demonstrated that quiet competence can sometimes do what bluster cannot: get things done.
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