President Donald Trump sparked backlash across California and beyond following remarks at a campaign rally in Grand Island, Nebraska, where he suggested that losing major West Coast cities like Los Angeles or San Diego would be a “small price to pay” in a conflict with Iran.

Addressing ongoing military tensions with Iran, Trump downplayed the broader costs of the conflict as he spoke to the crowd. “It’s a small price to pay for keeping the world safe, keeping our country safe,” he said. “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.”

The White House quickly moved to clarify the comments. In a post on social media, White House Communications Director Steven Cheung said the president was highlighting the threat a nuclear-armed Iran would pose to major U.S. cities had steps not been taken to halt its ambitions.

Trump on Iran: Let ’em take out Los Angeles and San Diego, it’s a small price to pay https://t.co/Fc4BcjVDKj

— Headquarters (@HQNewsNow) October 6, 2026

California leaders responded quickly. Gov. Gavin Newsom called the president’s rhetoric “deranged and dangerous” on social media, rejecting the idea that any American city or its residents should be treated as expendable. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said the role of a president “is to protect the country, not to actively threaten it,” adding that his statements about the city “are dangerous and could potentially compromise our safety.”

San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria was equally direct. “San Diego is not collateral damage. We are not expendable. And we are never a ‘small price to pay,'” he said. “Keep our city out of your reckless war talk.”

Gloria and local defense advocates also pointed out that San Diego is home to major U.S. Navy installations, Pacific Fleet homeports and Marine Corps bases, making the remarks especially concerning for the service members and military families stationed there.

The comments land as midterm campaigns kick into high gear nationwide, and they are likely to remain part of the conversation around national security, campaign rhetoric and the relationship between federal and state leaders in the weeks ahead.

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