President Donald Trump suggested during a Nebraska campaign rally that Iran could take out Los Angeles and San Diego, calling the ongoing war and elevated fuel prices a small price to pay. The remarks drew sharp condemnation from California political leaders across party lines who denounced the statements as reckless and dangerous.
Donald Trump’s Campaign Rally Remarks in Grand Island
Speaking on Monday evening at a campaign event at the Pinnacle Bank Expo Center in Grand Island, Nebraska, President Donald Trump addressed supporters about the ongoing war with Iran. The president defended the conflict and soaring fuel costs, telling the crowd that the economic impacts were artificial and minor.
Trump framed the conflict as a necessary undertaking to secure the nation, stating that the price at the pump was a small price to pay for keeping the world safe. He then suggested that foreign adversaries possessed the capability to target American population centers before explicitly naming two major Southern California cities. They can take out a city. Let ’em take out Los Angeles. Let ’em take out San Diego. This is a very small price to pay,
Trump said, drawing applause from the audience. The event took place as part of a 32-day blitz of rallies ahead of the November 3 midterm elections, with Trump campaigning alongside Republican Senator Pete Ricketts, who faced an unexpectedly tight race against an independent candidate backed by national Democrats.
California Elected Officials Condemn the President’s Statements
The remarks provoked an immediate and fierce backlash from state and local leaders in California. Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom posted on X that the president was advocating for an attack on millions of residents, calling the statements deranged and dangerous. Newsom’s press office added that the president was advocating for an attack on more than ten million residents across two of the nation’s largest urban areas. Los Angeles is home to nearly four million residents and numerous major industries.
San Diego is not collateral damage. We are not expendable. And we are never a ‘small price to pay.’ Keep our city out of your reckless war talk.
Todd Gloria, Mayor of San Diego
San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria joined in rejecting the comments, while several members of Congress representing the region also criticized the rhetoric. Senator Alex Padilla questioned the judgment of the commander in chief as service members continue to face risks overseas, noting that at least 19 service members had made the ultimate sacrifice in the unauthorized conflict, including Noah Tietjens of Nebraska. Representative Scott Peters noted that San Diego serves as a proud military town, housing 115,000 active-duty service members and their families, alongside personnel awaiting the return of sailors and Marines stranded on the USS Lincoln. Representative Sara Jacobs also shared public statements.
Political Fallout and Republican Responses in California
Defense officials have previously stated that Iran lacks the capability to launch a direct missile attack on the mainland United States, though administration officials and law enforcement agencies have confronted various security warnings throughout the ongoing conflict.
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