During an October 5, 2026 campaign rally in Nebraska, President Donald Trump sparked intense outrage by suggesting that letting Iran "take out" Los Angeles or San Diego was a "small price to pay" to keep the country safe amid the ongoing seven-month war. California Governor Gavin Newsom denounced Trump as "deranged and dangerous," while the mayors of both cities rejected the notion that their residents are expendable collateral damage. The White House defended Trump, claiming his remarks were distorted and actually meant to illustrate the severe threat a nuclear-armed Iran would pose to American cities.
Local leaders react to Trump's comments
- ▪Jim Desmond, a Republican candidate running for a competitive congressional seat in San Diego County, distanced himself from President Donald Trump's October 5, 2026 remarks, stating that no American city is expendable
- ▪U.S. Representative Sara Jacobs stated that her San Diego constituents, including active-duty service members, veterans, and their families, are not acceptable collateral damage in President Donald Trump's war with Iran
Trump's remarks at the Nebraska rally
- ▪During a campaign rally in Grand Island, Nebraska, on October 5, 2026, President Donald Trump suggested that Iran could "take out" Los Angeles or San Diego, stating "let 'em take out Los Angeles, let 'em take out San Diego."
- ▪President Donald Trump's remarks suggesting Iran could "take out" Los Angeles or San Diego drew cheers from a crowd attending a campaign rally in Grand Island, Nebraska, on October 5, 2026
Trump's comments on the Iran war
- ▪President Donald Trump stated on October 5, 2026, that the seven-month war with Iran would end "very soon," despite having initially claimed at the onset of the conflict seven months prior that it would last only a few weeks
- ▪At the Grand Island, Nebraska rally on October 5, 2026, President Donald Trump argued that rising prices of fuel and fertilizer caused by the seven-month war with Iran are a "small price to pay" for keeping the United States safe
White House defense of Trump's comments
- ▪The White House stated on October 6, 2026, that Iran currently has no nuclear weapons, no navy, no air force, and no money because of President Donald Trump's actions
- ▪White House Communications Director Steven Cheung defended President Donald Trump on October 6, 2026, stating that Trump was clearly explaining that U.S. cities would have been threatened if a nuclear Iran had not been stopped
Strategic importance of the targeted cities
- ▪Los Angeles is the second-most populous city in the United States and serves as a major economic hub housing the U.S. Space Force's Space Systems Command Headquarters and aerospace contractors like Boeing and Lockheed Martin
- ▪San Diego is home to major military installations, including Naval Base San Diego, which serves as the principal homeport of the U.S. Navy's Pacific Fleet, and Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton
Debatable claims
- ▪Trump's rally comments about California cities invited a foreign attack on U.S. soil
- ▪The US military campaign against Iran is justified despite its high domestic economic costs
- ▪Iran poses an active nuclear threat to major U.S. cities
- ▪The U.S. should prioritize domestic protection over foreign military victories
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