The Guardian
· collected 2026-10-06 · by Shrai Popat and David Smith in Washington
Republican candidate Jim Desmond criticized President Donald Trump after Trump suggested Iran could “take out” cities like Los Angeles or San Diego during a Nebraska rally on Monday night. Desmond, who is running for California's 48th congressional district and is set to face Democratic opponent Marni Von Wilpert in a closely watched contest, stated that the president’s first responsibility is to protect American people and homeland. This rebuke from a Republican candidate marks a notable departure as other Republicans largely remained silent following Trump's controversial remarks.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-06,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
During a campaign rally in Nebraska, President Donald Trump suggested that Iran could "take out" Los Angeles and San Diego, two major U.S. cities, to defend higher gas prices due to his war with Iran. The crowd cheered after he made these comments, which drew immediate criticism from California leaders. Gavin Newsom, the governor of California, called Trump's remarks "deranged and dangerous," while Karen Bass, mayor of Los Angeles, stated that a president should protect the country, not encourage attacks on American lives.
San Diego is home to significant military installations such as Naval Base San Diego, Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton (housing 70,000 civilians and service members), and Naval Amphibious Base Coronado. Todd Gloria, mayor of San Diego, emphasized that his city "is not collateral damage" and "not expendable." Trump's comments highlight the ongoing tensions between him and California officials, who frequently clash over policy issues.
Written for “Trump Iran Remark California” on 2026-10-07,
grounded in this article and the 17 other(s) covering the same event.
A Republican candidate in San Diego has criticized Donald Trump after the US president suggested Iran could “take out” the city or Los Angeles.
uncertain
Iran → criticize → city
Trump has faced a chorus of condemnation from Democratic leaders in California after his comments at a rally in Nebraska on Monday night.
asserted
Trump → face → night
Republicans have largely remained silent.
asserted
Republicans → remain → ?
But Republican Jim Desmond, who is standing in a competitive San Diego based seat in the House of Representatives, pushed back.
asserted
who → stand → Representatives
“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,” Desmond, the former mayor of San Marcos, said in a statement.
asserted
Desmond → stand → statement
He joined a string of prominent Democrats who called out the comments.
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who → join → comments
Hakeem Jeffries, the House minority leader, said: “The nuclear annihilation of an American city is no laughing matter.”
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annihilation → say → city
Desmond is set to face Marni Von Wilpert, a lawyer and member of San Diego’s city council, for the state’s 48th congressional district – which was redrawn in response to Proposition 50.
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which → set → Proposition
Desmond, also a navy veteran, said that he “served to protect Americans, not write off American cities as an acceptable price of war”.
asserted
he → say → war
It’s a notable rebuke from a Republican in a closely watched contest that could help the party retain their razor-thin majority in the lower chamber.
uncertain
party → ’ → chamber
“No American city is expendable, and no American family should ever be treated as collateral damage,” Desmond added.
asserted
Desmond → treat → damage
At his rally in Nebraska, Trump claimed that high prices due to the war with Iran are a “small price to pay for keeping the world safe – keeping our country safe”.
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prices → claim → country
He went on: “They can take out a city.
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They → go → city
Let them take out Los Angeles.
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them → let → Angeles
Let them take out San Diego.”
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them → let → Diego
The crowd clapped.
asserted
crowd → clap → ?
On Tuesday the backlash continued.
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backlash → continue → Tuesday
Terra Lawson-Remer, chair of the San Diego board of supervisors, said in a statement: “My grandfather was a Marine.
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grandfather → say → statement
He died fighting for our country …
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He → die → country
When the Commander in Chief talks about San Diego being ‘taken out’ by other countries with whom we’re at war, he is not fit to lead.
asserted
he → talk → war
Tom Cochran, head of the United States Conference of Mayors, argued that Trump had “crossed a line that no president should ever approach”.
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president → argue → that
He added: “No American President should ever describe an attack on an American city by a hostile foreign power as acceptable.
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President → add → power
But Trump supporters dismissed the uproar.
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supporters → dismiss → uproar
Blake Marnell, who wears a brick-patterned suit to resemble Trump’s border wall, lives in San Diego and was at the rally in Nebraska.
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who → wear → Nebraska
He said by phone on Tuesday: “I defend his comments absolutely.
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I → say → comments
It is not inappropriate to mention something like that now because you have to take it in the context in which it is spoken.
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it → mention → which
If you look at that context, it’s appropriate for a rally in which the president is addressing his base.”
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president → look → base
Marnell added: “The Democrats have a long and storied history of flying off the handle at any remark that President Trump makes, and this is just another chapter in that history, and I ascribe no significance to it, and in two days no one will be talking about it.”
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one → add → it
The White House also insisted that Trump was being willfully misinterpreted.
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Trump → insist → ?
Steven Cheung, its director of communications, posted on X: “The media freakout over President Trump’s comments is not rooted in reality.
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freakout → post → reality
He was clearly stating U.S. cities would have been threatened if a nuclear Iran hadn’t been stopped.
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Iran → state → ?
Iran has no nuclear, no navy, no air force, and no money.”
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Iran → have → nuclear
The White House’s “Rapid Response 47” account called the Los Angeles Times newspaper “buffoons” and insisted that Trump was saying the US is “fighting to STOP Iran from having the ability to take out LA and San Diego with a nuclear weapon – which they would if they had the chance.”
asserted
they → call → chance
The Aporia
