Trump’s ‘take out LA, San Diego’ remark: White House clarifies what he actually meant

The White House on Tuesday (October 6) sought to clarify President Donald Trump’s controversial comments about Los Angeles and San Diego, saying he was warning about the threat Iran could pose to US cities if Tehran were allowed to develop nuclear weapons — not suggesting that he wanted Iran to attack American cities.

The clarification came after Trump’s Nebraska rally remarks drew criticism from Democrats, a Republican politician and social media users.

White House Communications Director Steven Cheung said Trump’s comments had been misunderstood and misrepresented in what he called a “media freakout” that was “not rooted in reality.”

What did Trump say about LA and San Diego?

Trump was discussing the Iran war and its impact on US consumers, including high gasoline prices, when he raised the possibility of an Iranian attack on American soil.

“it’s a small price to pay for keeping the world safe, keeping our country safe,” Trump said, referring to the economic fallout from the conflict.

“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,” he added.

The remarks came during a lengthy campaign rally in Nebraska, where Trump frequently departed from prepared remarks.

His reference to the two California cities immediately drew criticism.

White House: Trump was warning about nuclear Iran

Cheung said the President was not advocating an attack on US cities.

“The media freakout over President Trump’s comments is not rooted in reality,” Cheung said.

“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,” he added.

Cheung also argued that Iran currently lacks several key military capabilities, saying Tehran “has no nuclear, no navy, no air force, and no money.”

The White House's explanation reframed Trump's comments as a warning about the potential consequences of allowing Iran to develop a nuclear weapon.

Gavin Newsom calls Trump ‘deranged and dangerous’

Trump’s comments nevertheless drew a sharp response from California Governor Gavin Newsom.

Newsom called Trump “deranged and dangerous”, accusing the president of saying that America’s foreign enemies should “take out” Los Angeles and San Diego.

Republican also pushes back

The backlash was not limited to Democrats.

Jim Desmond, a Republican congressional nominee in the San Diego area and a Navy veteran, said American cities should not be treated as expendable in a war.

“As a Navy veteran, I served to protect Americans, not write off American cities as an acceptable price of war,” Desmond wrote on social media.

He added that “no American family should ever be treated as collateral damage.”

Trump’s ‘take out LA, San Diego’ remark sparks social media outrage

President Donald Trump’s remarks suggesting Iran could “take out” Los Angeles or San Diego have triggered a fierce debate on social media, with critics accusing him of making reckless comments about American cities while supporters argued that his words were being taken out of context.

Several users condemned the President’s remarks and questioned how a US president could speak about American cities being attacked.

“He literally just gave the terrorists targets that are ‘okay’ to bomb. This is insane,” one user wrote, calling for the 25th Amendment.

Another said: “Never in my life would I have thought the PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES WOULD SUGGEST A FOREIGN COUNTRY TO TAKE OUT CITIES.”

A Southern California resident wrote that Trump’s words were “appalling”, adding: “A president of the United States talked about Los Angeles and San Diego being ‘taken out.’ Millions of Americans live there.”

Another critic said the intent did not excuse the language.

“Joke or no joke. This shows his division of this country,” one user wrote.

Another asked: “‘Let ’em take out Los Angeles or San Diego’??? WHAT KIND OF STATEMENT IS THIS FOR A PRESIDENT TO MAKE?”

Some users went further, accusing Trump of treason and calling for his impeachment.

Supporters say Trump was warning about Iran’s nuclear threat

Trump’s comments also drew support from users who said he was warning about what could happen if Iran obtained a nuclear weapon.

“Obviously he’s talking about what Iran would do if they were allowed to get a nuclear weapon,” one user wrote.

Trump’s history of attacking US cities

Trump has frequently criticised US cities during campaign rallies, particularly large Democratic-leaning urban areas.

At a recent rally in North Carolina, he described the state's cities as “blood-soaked killing fields”.

The comments about Los Angeles and San Diego, however, were different in that Trump was discussing the possibility of those cities being attacked in the context of the Iran conflict.

Iran’s nuclear programme remains a key issue

Iran has repeatedly said it is not seeking nuclear weapons. However, it has enriched uranium to levels close to weapons-grade, raising concerns among the US and its allies.