Trump in California turned into a political fight after Donald Trump told supporters in Nebraska that Iran could take out Los Angeles or San Diego. He said the loss of a city would be a small price to pay for keeping the world safe and the country safe.
Trump made the remark on Monday at a rally in Grand Island, where he said, “They could take out a city. Let ‘em take out Los Angeles, let ‘em take out San Diego. This is a very small price to pay, and it’s going to be over with very soon.” He added, “It’s essentially almost over with.”
Grand Island rally remarks
The setting mattered because Trump was speaking to supporters in Nebraska while discussing American wartime costs and rising prices of fuel, fertilizer and other products. Nebraska gave him more than 55% of the vote in the 2024 presidential election, and California’s early voting for the November midterm elections started the same day.
The White House pushed back on Tuesday. Steven Cheung said, “The media freakout over President Trump’s comments is not rooted in reality.” He also said Trump was “clearly stating U.S. cities would have been threatened if a nuclear Iran hadn’t been stopped.”
California Democrats and
California Democrats and responded as if the comment described a direct threat to Los Angeles and San Diego. Gavin Newsom called Trump “deranged and dangerous,” and wrote on X that Trump was saying foreign enemies should “take out” Los Angeles and San Diego after sending the National Guard and Marines to occupy California.
Jim Desmond, a Republican candidate in a competitive race in a redrawn California district near San Diego, said, “I vehemently disagree with President Trump’s comments.” He added, “America must stand up to Iran and defend our interests, but the first responsibility of our Commander in Chief is to protect the American people and our homeland.”
The split response leaves Trump’s remark in a narrow place politically: the White House cast it as a warning about a nuclear Iran, while California leaders heard it as a statement that foreign enemies should take out two major cities. Whether Trump intended it as a literal statement or as a warning is the unresolved issue now driving the backlash.
