California Governor Gavin Newsom called Trump “deranged and dangerous” after the president suggested Iran could strike Los Angeles and San Diego as an acceptable wartime price.
WEBDESK – MEDIABITES – REUTERS
California erupted in outrage on Tuesday after President Donald Trump suggested at a political rally that Iran could “take out” major American cities including Los Angeles and San Diego, with Democratic leaders and even some Republicans condemning the remarks as reckless and dangerous.
Trump made the comments on Monday at a rally in Grand Island, Nebraska, while defending the economic costs of the ongoing U.S. war with Iran. “They could 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 told the crowd, framing rising fuel and food prices as acceptable wartime sacrifices.
The remarks triggered an immediate and fierce backlash from California officials.
Governor Gavin Newsom, a Democrat widely seen as a potential 2028 presidential candidate, called Trump “deranged and dangerous.” Writing on X, Newsom said: “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.”
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass warned that Trump’s comment “could potentially compromise our safety,” while U.S. Representative Sara Jacobs declared: “My constituents, including many active-duty service members, veterans, and their families, are not acceptable collateral damage in Trump’s stupid war.”
The backlash was not limited to Democrats. Republican Jim Desmond, running in a competitive congressional race near San Diego, also distanced himself from the president. “I vehemently disagree with President Trump’s comments. No American city is expendable, and no American family should ever be treated as collateral damage,” he wrote on X.
The White House pushed back against the criticism, with Communications Director Steven Cheung insisting Trump was “clearly stating US cities would have been threatened if a nuclear Iran hadn’t been stopped.” Cheung added: “America is safer because of the President. Iran has no nuclear, no navy, no air force, and no money.”
California officials rejected the White House explanation. Los Angeles Mayor Bass countered directly: “I’m not sure that he understands that we can hear what the president said.”
The controversy landed as California’s early voting for November midterm elections opened on Monday. Los Angeles and San Diego are California’s two largest cities by population. San Diego is also home to Naval Base San Diego, the largest U.S. naval base on the West Coast, with more than 115,000 active-duty service members stationed in the region.
Trump has previously downplayed concerns about potential Iranian or allied attacks on U.S. soil and has shrugged off cost-of-living pressures stemming from the conflict.
Reporting based on Reuters.
