The organizer of this year's San Francisco Pride didn't expect rejection when she contacted sponsors, but amid US President Donald Trump's anti-diversity offensive, several longtime backers have withdrawn their support.

"It was quite frightening," said Suzanne Ford, executive director of the California-based group which is among America's most influential gay rights organizations.

"In about a week and a half period, several corporations came back and said 'We're not sponsoring this year,'" she told AFP.

In total, Ford's group faced a $300,000 budget hole, with longstanding partnerships suddenly unwilling to fill it ahead of the late June festivities.

"It's disheartening," Ford said.

One of Pride's major partners, the brewer Anheuser-Busch, has withdrawn, according to the organization.

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