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
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."
“[On X:] The President says the Iran war will end 'very soon.' How many times have we heard that promise?”