"Let 'em take out Los Angeles, let 'em take out San Diego." With those words at a midterm-election rally in Grand Island, Nebraska, on Monday, President Donald Trump ignited a firestorm that drew condemnation from California's Democratic leaders — and even from a fellow Republican.

What Trump said

Speaking to supporters in Nebraska's farm belt about a month before midterm elections that could return Democrats to control of Congress, Trump was discussing American wartime economic sacrifices — rising fuel, fertilizer and other prices blamed on energy market disruptions from the Iran war — when he veered into startling territory.

"It's a small price to pay for keeping the world safe, for keeping our country safe," he said. "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, and it's going to be over with very soon."

"It's essentially almost over with," he went on. "But it's going to end very soon, and it's going to end one way or the other."

The backlash

California Governor Gavin Newsom, who has positioned himself as Trump's chief political foil and is seen as a possible 2028 Democratic presidential contender, responded swiftly on social media, juxtaposing a clip of the remarks with Trump's earlier justifications for deploying federal troops to Los Angeles.

"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 wrote. "He is deranged and dangerous."

He was not alone. House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries wrote that "the nuclear annihilation of an American city is no laughing matter." Senator Bernie Sanders accused Trump of describing the "annihilation of two major American cities" as an acceptable price; Senator Chris Murphy called it "such a sick, evil thing to say." Even GOP congressional candidate Jim Desmond, a San Diego County supervisor, said Trump had "written off American cities as an acceptable price of war" — and "vehemently" disagreed.

The White House pushback

On Tuesday, the White House dismissed the uproar. "The media freakout over President Trump's comments is not rooted in reality. He was clearly stating US cities would have been threatened if a nuclear Iran hadn't been stopped," communications director Steven Cheung posted. "America is safer because of the President. Iran has no nuclear, no navy, no air force, and no money."

The White House Rapid Response account went further, attacking a Los Angeles Times headline: "No, he didn't, you buffoons. He was saying the US 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."

Incoherence vs. malice

As CNN noted in its analysis, context suggests Trump's offense was less a deliberate concession of American cities to an enemy than another instance of his increasingly profound incoherence — which, the network added, "is still a major problem for the most powerful man in the world." Trump has repeatedly shrugged off cost-of-living concerns from the Iran conflict and previously downplayed the risk of Iranian attacks on US soil.

With early voting already underway in California, the remarks have handed Democrats a potent closing argument in the midterms' final stretch — and given Republicans in competitive California districts an unwelcome headache.

Frequently Asked Questions

What exactly did Trump say?

At a Monday rally in Grand Island, Nebraska, Trump said of 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" — while arguing Americans should accept higher prices from the Iran war as the cost of stopping Tehran's nuclear program.

How did California leaders respond?

Governor Gavin Newsom called Trump "deranged and dangerous" on social media; House leader Hakeem Jeffries said "the nuclear annihilation of an American city is no laughing matter"; Senators Sanders and Murphy condemned the remarks; even GOP candidate Jim Desmond said Trump had "written off American cities."

What is the White House's explanation?

Communications director Steven Cheung said the "media freakout" was "not rooted in reality" — Trump was "clearly stating US cities would have been threatened if a nuclear Iran hadn't been stopped," and "America is safer because of the President."

Why does the timing matter?

The rally came about a month before midterm elections, with early voting underway in California. The remarks give Democrats a powerful line of attack in the campaign's final weeks.

Sources

Related reading