President Donald Trump sparked controversy during a Republican rally by suggesting that Iran could “take out” Los Angeles and San Diego as part of the costs of war, which he framed as necessary to protect the United States. Governor Gavin Newsom and mayors Todd Gloria and Karen Bass of San Diego and Los Angeles respectively condemned these remarks, calling them reckless and dangerous. Trump’s supporters later clarified on social media that the president was actually emphasizing his efforts to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons capable of attacking those cities.
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
At a campaign rally in Nebraska, President Trump suggested allowing Iran to "take out" Los Angeles and San Diego, drawing widespread condemnation from California officials. The mayors of both cities criticized Trump's comments as threatening American lives; L.A.'s Mayor Karen Bass wrote that the president’s role is to protect the country, not encourage attacks on it. San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria echoed this sentiment, stating his city was "not expendable." Governor Gavin Newsom called Trump’s remarks “deranged and dangerous,” highlighting the impact of such rhetoric on national security and public safety. Both cities are home to significant military installations critical to U.S. defense operations.
Written for “Trump Iran California Comments” on 2026-10-06,
grounded in this article and the 12 other(s) covering the same event.
Why this leaning score
The article's own words the score was based on. Each is quoted
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stored, so you can find it in the original.
Leaning: leans left for article 60510 (high confidence, 2 verified quotes) · logged 2026-10-06
California leaders have criticized President Donald Trump after remarks on Monday that were interpreted by his opponents as a suggestion that Iran could “take out” Los Angeles and San Diego.
uncertain
Iran → criticize → Angeles
Trump made the remarks at a Republican rally in Nebraska while defending his administration’s war with Iran and arguing that the conflict was necessary to protect the United States.
asserted
conflict → make → States
He told the crowd he wanted a strong showing in the November elections to demonstrate support for his administration, before turning to the potential cost of the war.
“It’s a small price to pay for keeping the world safe, keeping our country safe,” Trump said.
asserted
Trump → tell → country
He continued: “They can take out a city.
asserted
They → continue → city
Let ’em take out Los Angeles, let ’em take out San Diego.
asserted
’em → let → Diego
This is a very small price to pay.”
asserted
This → pay → ?
The comments immediately reverberated in California, where Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA) and other elected officials sharply rejected the suggestion that either city should be considered expendable.
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city → reverberate → suggestion
Newsom, a frequent and outspoken critic of Trump, accused the president of making reckless and dangerous statements about California after already deploying National Guard troops and Marines to the state.
asserted
Newsom → accuse → state
“After sending the National Guard and Marines to occupy California, Donald Trump is now saying our foreign enemies should ‘take out’ Los Angeles and San Diego,” Newsom said in a social media post, describing the president as “deranged and dangerous.”
asserted
Newsom → send → president
The mayors of both cities also pushed back.
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mayors → push → cities
San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria (D) said his city should not be treated as collateral damage in a foreign conflict.
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city → say → conflict
We are not expendable,” Gloria said, urging Trump to “keep our city out of your reckless war talk.”
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Gloria → say → talk
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass (D) similarly condemned the president’s remarks, warning that comments from the commander in chief carry consequences beyond political rhetoric.
“The role of a president is to protect the country, not to actively threaten it and encourage attacks on American lives,” Bass said, calling the comments dangerous and warning they could potentially compromise the city’s safety.
uncertain
they → condemn → safety
Trump has previously said that the rising cost of gas is a “small” price to pay in comparison to preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon — including on Monday in Nebraska — but given the circuitous way the president talks, particularly during rallies, the soundbite about Iran taking out California cities did not land properly and gave ammunition to his opponents.
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Iran → say → opponents
Trump’s Rapid Response X account said the remarks had been misinterpreted and that he was making a broader point about the potential costs of war.
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he → say → war
“No, he didn’t, you buffoons. He was saying the U.S. 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,” the social media post said.
asserted
post → say → chance
Newsom has repeatedly clashed with Trump over the president’s use of federal authority in California, including the deployment of military personnel during unrest in Los Angeles.
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Newsom → clash → Angeles
The governor has portrayed Trump’s actions as an overreach of federal power and has emerged as one of the president’s most vocal political opponents.
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governor → portray → opponents
Trump, meanwhile, has repeatedly criticized California’s Democratic leadership and policies, making the president’s reference to two of the state’s largest cities especially incendiary.
asserted
reference → criticize → cities
Trump also told the Nebraska crowd that the war with Iran could be ending “very soon,” although he offered no details about what an end to the conflict would look like or when it might occur.
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it → tell → conflict
Preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon has been one of the administration’s central arguments for military action against the country.
asserted
Preventing → prevent → country
For California officials, however, the president’s comments shifted the focus from the broader conflict to the much more immediate question of why the president of the United States would suggest that attacks on two major American cities could constitute an acceptable cost of war.
uncertain
attacks → shift → war
The Aporia
