Fury over Trump’s ‘let them take out LA’ remarks
Updated . First published at
US President Donald Trump’s comments about “letting” Iran destroy an American city have sparked a furious backlash and equally heated defences from the White House.
During a rally in Nebraska, Trump reiterated his frequent position that high fuel prices and other consequences of the war on Iran were “a small price to pay” for US and global security.
Donald Trump has drawn fierce backlash for comments at a rally in Nebraska. Mehmet Eser/Anadolu/Getty Images via CNN
He then appeared to suggest Iran could destroy a US city.
“Let them take out Los Angeles. Let them take out San Diego,” Trump said, to cheers from the audience.
Both cities are in California, a blue state whose leadership Trump has repeatedly criticised.
Governor Gavin Newsom, who has been cast as a potential presidential candidate for 2028, slammed Trump over the comments.
“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,” he said on X.
“He is deranged and dangerous.”
San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria said in his own post the city was not “expendable”.
“Keep our city out of your reckless war talk,” he said.
But the backlash was swiftly pounced on by the White House, which labelled the US news outlet the LA Times “buffoons” for reporting the comments as threatening.
“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,” the White House Rapid Response team posted on X.
White House Communications Director Steven Cheung also weighed in.
“He was clearly stating US cities would have been threatened if a nuclear Iran hadn’t been stopped,” he said.
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