Politicians slam Trump’s suggestion that Iran ‘take’ San Diego, Los Angeles
Republicans and Democrats criticized President Donald Trump after he suggested at a Nebraska rally that American cities such as Los Angeles and San Diego could be sacrificed in the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran. The comments drew condemnation from California officials including Governor Gavin Newsom and some GOP candidates, while the White House defended Trump, saying his remarks were taken out of context.
Why It Matters
The backlash highlights bipartisan alarm over a president appearing to normalize civilian casualties amid an ongoing international conflict, and it injects a new flashpoint into the high-stakes midterm elections where control of Congress is contested. California's population and its 52 House seats make reactions from its leaders especially consequential politically.
Key Facts
- Event: Trump remarks at a midterm rally in Nebraska
- Quote: "They can take out a city. Let them take out Los Angeles. Let them take out San Diego."
- Reaction: Gavin Newsom called the president "deranged" and "dangerous"
- Republican response: Jim Desmond said he "vehemently disagree[s]" and that "no American city is expendable"
- White House defense: Communications Director Steven Cheung said critics were in a "media freakout" and claimed Trump meant cities were threatened if Iran had obtained a nuclear weapon
President Donald Trump drew swift bipartisan criticism after remarks at a Nebraska rally in which he suggested Americans should be willing to make sacrifices in the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran and said, "They can take out a city. Let them take out Los Angeles. Let them take out San Diego." The comments, delivered while discussing economic knock-on effects such as rising fuel and fertilizer prices, prompted immediate backlash from both Democratic and Republican officials.
California Governor Gavin Newsom, a frequent Trump critic, called the remarks "deranged" and "dangerous" in a video posted to X, urging Congress to act to restrain the president. Newsom highlighted past clashes with Trump over deployments of federal forces to Los Angeles and framed the comments as further evidence of erratic behavior, telling voters the remarks should motivate turnout in the upcoming midterms.
Republicans from California also distanced themselves. Jim Desmond, a Republican House candidate near San Diego, wrote on X that he "vehemently disagree[s]" with the president and stressed that the commander in chief's primary duty is to protect the homeland. Independent Rep. Kevin Kiley, who caucuses with Republicans, described the remarks as "unhelpful." These reactions come as California holds the largest share of House seats in the country, at 52.
The White House rejected the wave of criticism, calling it a "media freakout" and asserting Trump meant U.S. cities would have been threatened if Iran had been allowed to develop nuclear weapons. The exchange adds a new element to the political debate ahead of November's midterm elections, when all 435 House seats and a third of the Senate are on the ballot and control of Congress is at stake.
The comments arrive amid an eight-month-old conflict that Trump has repeatedly said will end soon, despite polling that indicates the war is unpopular domestically and no lasting ceasefire has been achieved. The dispute over the president's language underscores tensions over messaging about civilian risk and military strategy as the war continues to shape domestic politics.
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Original source: Al Jazeera