White House defends Trump comment to let Iran 'take out' LA and San Diego

What Happened

President Donald Trump said at a campaign rally in Nebraska on Monday that Iran could "take out" Los Angeles and San Diego, stating: "It's a small price to pay for keeping the world safe, keeping our country safe. They can take out a city. Let them take out Los Angeles, let them take out San Diego." California Governor Gavin Newsom called the comment "deranged and dangerous," and LA Mayor Karen Bass described it as a threat and an attempt to "encourage attacks on American lives." San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria wrote that San Diego was "not collateral damage" and demanded Trump keep it out of his "reckless war talk." Newsom directed California's State Threat Assessment Center to monitor the situation in case foreign actors interpret the remarks as an invitation to target California. White House Communications Director Stephen Cheung and the official White House rapid response account defended Trump, saying he was stating that US cities would have been threatened if a nuclear Iran had not been stopped, and that America is safer because Iran "has no nuclear, no navy, no air force, and no money."

Key Actors

Why It Matters

The remarks and the White House defense come amid ongoing US-Iran tensions and directly implicate major US military installations in California: San Diego hosts Naval Base San Diego, Naval Amphibious Base Coronado, and Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, while Los Angeles hosts Los Angeles Air Force Base and US Space Force Space Systems Command headquarters. Newsom's activation of the State Threat Assessment Center signals that California is treating the comments as a potential security trigger, highlighting how presidential rhetoric about foreign adversaries can shape domestic threat perception and state-level security posture. The incident also underscores the domestic political friction between Trump and California leaders, with direct foreign-policy implications if foreign actors interpret the statement as permission or provocation.

Watch For

Monitor whether Trump responds to statements from Newsom, Bass, or Gloria. Watch for any findings or public updates from California's State Threat Assessment Center regarding foreign actor interpretation of the remarks. Track any Iranian official or state media reaction to Trump's comments and whether it escalates rhetoric or affects US-Iran diplomacy. Note any further White House rapid response or Cheung statements, and any congressional or defense official response to the security implications for LA and San Diego military installations.