President Donald Trump defended his previous comments about Iran's potential to attack U.S. cities like Los Angeles and San Diego during a rally in San Antonio on Wednesday. After facing backlash for suggesting that Iran could target these areas if the United States did not stop them from developing nuclear weapons, Trump stated, "We protect our cities" and promised to prevent such attacks. California Governor Gavin Newsom criticized Trump's initial remarks as reckless, calling him “deranged and dangerous.” The event also saw a brief disturbance when a protester was physically confronted by an audience member.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-08,
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, former US President Donald Trump suggested that Iran could "take out" major American cities like Los Angeles and San Diego, claiming such attacks would be a small price to pay for keeping the country safe from nuclear threats posed by Iran. The remarks drew immediate condemnation from California leaders, including Gov. Gavin Newsom, who called Trump's statements “deranged and dangerous.” Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass echoed this sentiment, stating that the role of a president is to protect American lives rather than encourage attacks on them. San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria emphasized his city’s importance by noting it houses critical military installations like Naval Base San Diego and Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, emphasizing that San Diego is not collateral damage in any conflict. Trump's comments also referenced higher gas prices as a result of the ongoing war with Iran and were met with applause from rally attendees but widespread criticism online.
Written for “Trump Iran California Threats” on 2026-10-08,
grounded in this article and the 27 other(s) covering the same event.
Why this leaning score
This article does not take a side on a contested political
question, so it has no leaning score. That is an
answer rather than a gap: a match report or a rescue can be warmly
or critically written without being left or right, and scoring it
anyway is how approval of a subject gets recorded as a political
position.
No political leaning scored for article 64567 · logged 2026-10-08
After having faced fierce backlash, President Donald Trump on Wednesday sought to clean up incendiary comments he made earlier this week, when he said Iran could “take out” Los Angeles or San Diego.
uncertain
Iran → face → Angeles
Trump’s original remarks, made at a campaign rally in Nebraska, seemed to refer to what would happen if Iran had a nuclear weapon.
asserted
Iran → make → weapon
“They can take out a city.
asserted
They → take → city
Let them take out Los Angeles.
asserted
them → let → Angeles
Let them take out San Diego,” Trump said Monday to cheers from the crowd.
asserted
Trump → let → crowd
He recast those remarks Wednesday night at a rally in San Antonio as he tried to explain the Iran war, saying he had “no choice” if the U.S. were to keep Iran from developing a nuclear weapon.
asserted
U.S. → recast → weapon
“You want to see problems?
asserted
You → want → problems
And I said it the other day: Let them hit a missile into San Diego or Los Angeles on the way.
asserted
them → say → way
Let them hit.
asserted
them → let → ?
You want to see a horror show?
asserted
You → want → show
You want to see problems?”
asserted
You → want → problems
“Let them hit San Diego.
asserted
them → let → Diego
Let them hit Los Angeles if you want to see some bad things happen.
asserted
things → let → Angeles
You want to see a country that would be in free fall?”
asserted
that → want → fall
This time, however, he added: “We’re not going to let that happen.
asserted
that → add → ?
We protect our cities.
asserted
We → protect → cities
We protect our country.
asserted
We → protect → country
We’re not letting that happen.”
asserted
that → let → ?
Trump’s initial remarks sparked backlash, particularly from California Democrats.
asserted
remarks → spark → Democrats
Gov. Gavin Newsom accused Trump of prodding foreign enemies to take out U.S. cities.
asserted
Newsom → accuse → cities
“He is deranged and dangerous,” Newsom wrote on social media.
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Newsom → write → media
Trump’s comments Wednesday came in a winding speech at a boisterous rally that stretched for about an hour and 45 minutes, with numerous interruptions from protesters.
asserted
that → come → protesters
At one point, a protester who had been heckling Trump was grabbed by a person in the audience in an incident captured on video.
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who → heckle → video
A man in the crowd, wearing what looked to be a red “Make America Great Again” hat, grabbed the protester by the hair.
asserted
America → wear → hair
Others in the crowd tried to free the protester.
asserted
Others → try → protester
The evening was meant to boost Texas Republicans, including Attorney General Ken Paxton, who is running for the Senate in a pitched battle against Democrat James Talarico.
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who → mean → Talarico
In a reflection of Trump’s low favorability ratings, even in the red state of Texas, Gov. Greg Abbott — a staunch Trump ally — said he could not attend because of a scheduling conflict.
uncertain
he → say → conflict
Capping the night, Trump announced that he would award former Major League Baseball pitcher and seven-time Cy Young Award winner Rogers Clemens the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
asserted
he → cap → Freedom
“We’re giving him the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and along with the Congressional Medal of Honor, it’s the highest award bestowed upon anyone,” Trump said, adding he would help him get into the Baseball Hall of Fame someday.
asserted
him → give → Fame
“He deserves it.”
asserted
He → deserve → it
Clemens, a Texan, was accused of using performance-enhancing drugs late in his baseball career.
asserted
Clemens → accuse → career
He maintains he has never used PEDs.
asserted
he → maintain → PEDs
On Wednesday night, Clemens took the stage at Trump’s invitation, saying he was “stunned.”
asserted
he → take → invitation
“This supersedes anything that obviously I’ve done in my playing career,” Clemens said.
asserted
Clemens → supersede → career
“To get it from this man, this president, there wouldn’t be another president I’d want to get it from.”
asserted
I → get → it
The Aporia
