President Trump’s remarks in Nebraska suggesting Los Angeles and San Diego are a ‘small price to pay’ in an Iran conflict have sparked a firestorm among California officials.
The crowd in Nebraska heard a stark vision for the cost of war Monday night. but three time zones away. the reaction was nothing short of fury. Standing at a rally intended to bolster Republican Senator Pete Ricketts. President Donald Trump addressed the escalating tensions with Iran by weighing the lives of millions against national security.
“It’s a small price to pay for keeping the world safe, keeping our country safe,” Trump said. He then took his rhetoric a step further, specifically naming two of the nation’s largest population centers. “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.”.
While White House staffers later attempted to frame the comments as a warning meant to deter Iranian aggression. the local impact was immediate and visceral. California Governor Gavin Newsom labeled the rhetoric “disgusting and disqualifying. ” with his office issuing a formal condemnation: “The President is advocating for an attack on 10+ million U.S. residents in two of America’s largest cities. This is not normal. None of this is.”.
The leaders of the cities in question pushed back with blunt force. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass. speaking through her official channels. declared. “The role of a president is to protect the country. not to actively threaten it and encourage attacks on American lives.” On her personal account. she was less diplomatic: “Keep LA out of your damn mouth.” San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria echoed the sentiment. asserting. “San Diego is not collateral damage. We are not expendable.”.
For San Diego, the comments hit particularly close to home. The region is home to 115. 000 active-duty service members and their families. many of whom are currently awaiting the return of personnel from the USS Lincoln. Representative Scott Peters. Congresswoman Sara Jacobs. and Representative Mike Levin all condemned the remarks. pointing to the absurdity of a Commander-in-Chief treating those they serve as bargaining chips. Jacobs noted that for her constituents—many of whom are veterans and active-duty families—the idea of being “collateral damage” in an unauthorized war was a bridge too far.
The political fallout extended to the Senate, where California’s Democratic delegation did not mince words. Senator Alex Padilla pointed to the 19 service members already lost in the Iran conflict. noting the bitter irony of the President making such comments while on a campaign stop in Nebraska. Senator Adam Schiff expressed deep concern over the President’s apparent indifference to the potential cost of his military objectives.
While the Republican establishment remained largely silent. and GOP gubernatorial candidate Steve Hilton did not respond to requests for comment. a rare crack appeared within the party. Jim Desmond, a Republican running for the 48th Congressional District, took to social media to voice his disagreement. “I vehemently disagree with President Trump’s comments,” the Navy veteran wrote. “No American city is expendable, and no American family should ever be treated as collateral damage.”.
The disconnect between the President’s calculated. if jarring. pragmatism and the defensive. protective stance of California’s leadership highlights a widening chasm. One side treats the prospect of urban destruction as a strategic variable in a global standoff; the other sees an existential threat to the very people a President is sworn to protect.
Donald Trump California Los Angeles San Diego Iran Gavin Newsom Karen Bass 2026 election U.S. foreign policy