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President Donald Trump addressed confusion over his controversial remarks about Iran potentially bombing Los Angeles and San Diego by claiming on Truth Social that he was making a comparison between higher gas prices and the potential devastation of city bombings. Three days earlier during rallies in Nebraska and Texas, Trump had suggested letting Iran “take out” these cities to illustrate his point about national security risks from Iran's nuclear program. The president’s comments sparked widespread criticism and attempts by his staff to downplay their significance, but California officials continued to voice concern over the remarks.
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 President Donald Trump suggested letting Iran "take out" Los Angeles and San Diego as part of his defense for high gas prices due to the war with Iran, claiming it would be a "small price to pay for keeping the world safe." This comment drew immediate backlash from California officials, including Gov. Gavin Newsom, who called Trump's remarks "deranged and dangerous," and Mayor Karen Bass of Los Angeles, who emphasized that the role of a president is to protect the country, not threaten it. San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria also condemned the suggestion, noting that his city houses major military installations such as Naval Base San Diego and Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, which collectively support 70,000 civilians and active-duty service members.
Written for “Trump Iran Comment Controversy” on 2026-10-08,
grounded in this article and the 30 other(s) covering the same event.
Why this leaning score
The model judged this article politically coded and scored it +0.65, but all 4 of its quote(s) are attributed speech - words the article quotes from someone, not the article's own narration, so the score is not published.
Written under an earlier scoring contract, which gave a paragraph
rather than checkable quotes. Re-analysing this article replaces it.
Leaning score withheld for article 66699: attributed speech only · logged 2026-10-08
President Donald Trump insisted Thursday that he never invited Iran to bomb Los Angeles and San Diego, three days after telling a rally crowd in Nebraska to "let them take out" both cities while defending his war, which has pushed gasoline past $4.40 a gallon.
asserted
which → insist → 4.40
"The Fake and Artificial News is out there trying to say that I'm inviting the enemy to bomb San Diego and Los Angeles when, in actuality, what I was talking about was that a temporary increase in the price of Gasoline is a small price to pay for Iran not having a Nuclear Weapon and, if you want to see a big price, can you imagine what it would be like if they bombed San Diego and/or Los Angeles?"
asserted
they → try → Diego
Trump wrote on Truth Social.
asserted
Trump → write → Social
"All I was doing was making a comparison between paying a little more, for a short time, for Gasoline, versus the bombing of our Major Cities.”
asserted
I → do → Cities
The president then claimed that “everybody knew” what he’d meant and accused news outlets of continuing “to go out and say that I am asking the enemy to bomb two Cities that I love” while calling journalists who covered the incendiary comments “degenerates.”
asserted
who → claim → comments
Trump’s post was a tardy attempt to walk back what was widely interpreted at the time as a verbal swipe at anti-war Democrats and Republicans who he has falsely accused of being in favor of Tehran’s pursuit of nuclear weapons.
asserted
he → walk → weapons
Speaking in Grand Island, Nebraska in support of GOP Senator Pete Ricketts, Trump said higher gas prices that have roiled his party’s approval ratings were worth bearing because Iran “could take out a city.”
uncertain
Iran → speak → city
“Let them take out Los Angeles; let them take out San Diego.” he said, as the partisan crowd booed at the mention of both California cities.
asserted
crowd → let → cities
He repeated similar comments during a Wednesday rally in support of Texas Senate candidate Ken Paxton.
asserted
He → repeat → Paxton
"You want to see trauma?
asserted
You → want → trauma
You want to see problems?
asserted
You → want → problems
And I said it the other day.
asserted
I → say → it
Let them hit a missile into San Diego or Los Angeles.
asserted
them → let → Diego
You want to see a horror show?
asserted
You → want → show
Let them hit San Diego.
asserted
them → let → Diego
Let them hit Los Angeles if you want to see some bad things happen,” Trump said.
asserted
Trump → let → Angeles
Only then did he add the caveat that Thursday's post treats as having been obvious all along: "We're not gonna let that happen.
asserted
that → add → caveat
We protect our cities; we protect our country."
asserted
we → protect → country
In the days following the unhinged remarks ,the president's own staff had tried to close the matter without him even as he ducked reporter questions on the matter.
asserted
he → follow → matter
White House communications director Steven Cheung dismissed the reaction as a "media freakout" that was "not rooted in reality," writing on X that Trump "was clearly stating U.S. cities would have been threatened if a nuclear Iran hadn't been stopped."
That staff-led cleanup effort did little to quiet California's leaders.
"
asserted
effort → dismiss → leaders
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," Gov. Gavin Newsom wrote.
asserted
Newsom → send → Angeles
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass put it more plainly, writing on X that Trump had “suggested that a foreign government attack Los Angeles."
uncertain
government → put → Angeles
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