Fact Check: Did Donald Trump Say Iran Could Take Out Los Angeles and San Diego?

U.S. President Donald Trump sparked intense political backlash on Oct. 5, 2026, during a Nebraska campaign rally when he suggested that letting Iran attack Los Angeles or San Diego would be a small price to pay, snopes.com reported. The unscripted remarks quickly circulated online via video clips, drawing sharp condemnations from California state leaders and public figures over the safety of American cities.

Trump Rally Remarks in Nebraska on Oct. 5

Speaking off-script during a lengthy campaign event on Oct. 5, 2026, Trump discussed the economic toll of the joint U.S.-Israel military operation against Iran, which began following the Feb. 28 assassination of Ali Khamenei, the supreme leader of Iran. As reported by snopes.com, Trump told the crowd that the war’s economic impact—including rising gasoline and grocery prices—was artificial and a minor cost for keeping the world and the country safe.

They can 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.

Donald Trump

An X post featuring the authentic video footage amassed over 15 million views, bringing nationwide attention to the statements as a new AP-NORC poll showed only 28% of Americans approving of Trump’s handling of the conflict.

White House Denies Trump Advocated Attacks on American Soil

Following the public outcry, the White House pushed back against the interpretation of the president’s words. Livemint.com reported that White House Communications Director Steven Cheung characterized the public and media reaction as a media freakout that was not rooted in reality. Cheung stated that Trump was warning about the dangers U.S. cities would have faced if a nuclear Iran had not been stopped.

Cheung asserted that Trump was not advocating for any attack on American soil and pointed out that Iran currently lacks key military capabilities, including a navy, an air force, and nuclear weapons. Despite the administration’s defense, the White House response did not provide further context regarding what specific threat Trump meant by a small price to pay.

California Leaders Condemn Trump for Suggesting Foreign Targets

Elected officials across California swiftly condemned the remarks. California Governor Gavin Newsom posted on social media that Trump was deranged and dangerous for suggesting that foreign enemies should target Los Angeles and San Diego, livemint.com reported. Local leaders, including the mayors of Los Angeles and San Diego, similarly criticized the comments.

The pushback also extended to members of Trump’s own party. Jim Desmond, a Republican congressional nominee in the San Diego area and a Navy veteran, posted online that American cities should never be written off as an acceptable price of war or treated as collateral damage.

Critics and Defenders Dispute Intent Behind President's Phrasing

Substantial disagreement remains over the intent behind the president’s phrasing, with critics arguing the language invited adversaries to target domestic populations while defenders insisted it was a defensive hypothetical. The exact timeline for when the military operation in Iran will conclude remains unconfirmed by administration officials, leaving voters to weigh the conflict’s economic and security impacts ahead of upcoming midterms.