“[On X:] The President says the Iran war will end 'very soon.' How many times have we heard that promise?
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At a Nebraska Rally, Trump Says the Iran War's Cost Is "a Small Price to Pay" — "They Could Take Out a City. Let Them Take Out Los Angeles. Let Them Take Out San Diego" — Gavin Newsom Calls Him "Deranged and Dangerous," Alex Padilla Asks "What Kind of Commander in Chief Does That?", and the White House Says He Meant a Nuclear Iran
October 6, 2026
At an Oct. 5, 2026 campaign rally for Sen. Pete Ricketts in Grand Island, Nebraska, President Trump defended the price increases caused by the Iran war: "It's a small price to pay for keeping the world safe, keeping our country safe. They could take out a city. Let them take out Los Angeles. Let them take out San Diego. This is a very small price to pay, and it's gonna be over with very soon." The crowd applauded. It was not clear whether Trump was describing what Iran could have done had it not been stopped or suggesting the cities were expendable. California officials condemned the remark within hours. Gov. Gavin Newsom called Trump "deranged and dangerous"; Sens. Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria and San Diego-area Reps. Scott Peters, Sara Jacobs and Mike Levin — whose districts include some of the largest concentrations of active-duty military in the country — said no American city is "a small price to pay." White House Communications Director Steven Cheung said Trump "was clearly stating U.S. cities would have been threatened if a nuclear Iran hadn't been stopped."
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10 Statements
“San Diego is a proud military town, home to 115,000 courageous active duty servicemembers. … This month we await the return home of the sailors and marines still stranded on the USS Lincoln for months thanks to Donald Trump's reckless war in Iran. America knows San Diego is not a 'small price to pay' for his inability to resolve it.
“My constituents — including many active duty service members, veterans, and their families — are not acceptable collateral damage in Trump's stupid war.
“[White House Communications Director, on X, responding to coverage of the remark:] He was clearly stating U.S. cities would have been threatened if a nuclear Iran hadn't been stopped. America is safer because of the President. Iran has no nuclear, no navy, no air force, and no money.
“[On X:] San Diego is not collateral damage. We are not expendable. And we are never a 'small price to pay.' Keep our city out of your reckless war talk.
“[At a campaign rally for Sen. Pete Ricketts in Grand Island, Nebraska, on gas prices and the Iran war:] And again, remember, with the war, it's just artificial. It's a little bit high. It's a small price to pay for keeping the world safe, keeping our country safe. They could take out a city. Let them take out Los Angeles. Let them take out San Diego. This is a very small price to pay, and it's gonna be over with very soon.
“[On X:] At least 19 servicemembers have made the ultimate sacrifice in Trump's unauthorized war with Iran — including Noah Tietjens of Nebraska. Now Trump is in Nebraska inviting an attack on U.S. soil, putting millions of Americans and hundreds of thousands of our servicemembers at risk while trying to get Americans to cheer for an attack on our own country. … What kind of Commander in Chief does that?
“[On X, quoting Trump's "Let them take out Los Angeles or San Diego. This is a very small price to pay":] No American city is a small price to pay. No American life is.
“[On X:] 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 is deranged and dangerous.
“[On X:] The role of a president is to protect the country, not to actively threaten it and encourage attacks on American lives.