Trump's Team Rushes to Clean Up Mess After Prez Said Iran Could 'Take Out Los Angeles and San Diego'
White House Communications Director Steven Cheung was quick to clarify his boss' comments.
Oct. 7 2026, Published 12:35 p.m. ET
Donald Trump's team moved quickly to clarify remarks he made at a midterm rally in Grand Island, Nebraska, on Monday, October 5, after the president suggested higher gas prices caused by the Iran war were "a small price to pay" and added that Iran could "take out" major American cities, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
Speaking to the crowd of about 5,000 people at the Pinnacle Bank Expo Center, Trump said, "They can take out a city. Let 'em take out Los Angeles, let 'em take out San Diego."
White House Defends Trump's Comments
Trump's comments about a nuclear attacked on California cities ruffled feathers.
White House Communications Director Steven Cheung later dismissed criticism of the comments, saying the reaction was "not rooted in reality" and that Trump "was clearly stating U.S. cities would have been threatened if a nuclear Iran hadn’t been stopped."
"No, he didn't, you buffoons. He was saying the U.S. is fighting to STOP Iran from having the ability to take out LA and San Diego with a nuclear weapon, which they would if they had the chance," Cheung said, defending Trump.
He added, "The media freakout over President Trump’s comments is not rooted in reality. 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."
California Officials Respond
California Gov. Gavin Newsom branded Trump's remarks 'disgusting.'
Following Trump's comments, California Gov. Gavin Newsom was quick to respond: "Disgusting and disqualifying... 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."
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass also raged, "The President of the United States suggested that a foreign government attack Los Angeles. His statements against our city are dangerous and could potentially compromise our safety. The role of a president is to protect the country, not to actively threaten it and encourage attacks on American lives. In the face of irresponsible threats, as Angelenos, we know how to stand together and protect our city."
"Thirteen million Californians call LA and San Diego counties home. Their lives are not a 'small price to pay' or a punchline for Donald Trump," Xavier Becerra, a former President Joe Biden health secretary and current California gubernatorial candidate.
Even a Trump-endorsed Republican congressional candidate based in San Diego had something to say about Trump's remark.
"I vehemently disagree with President Trump’s comments. America must stand up to Iran and defend our interests, but the first responsibility of our Commander in Chief is to protect the American people and our homeland..." San Diego County Supervisor Jim Desmond said.
Trump V. California
California is Trump political foil for Red Republicans.
Trump's critiques of California's policies are nothing new, as it appears he has honed in on that strategy to rally conservative audiences across solid-red territory.
In states such as Oklahoma and Nebraska, the 80-year-old has repeatedly cited California to depict what he views as systematic mismanagement under Democratic control.
Addressing an Oklahoma crowd, Trump insisted that preserving Republican majorities in Congress was vital for his administration's efforts to target election irregularities in progressive strongholds, claiming federal authorities were uncovering "billions and billions of dollars of fraud."
Trump's Brutal Polling Numbers
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Trump has reached a new low.
Meanwhile, Trump's approval rating has fallen to a record low of 32 percent, with support waning among key voter blocs, including independents and Hispanic voters who supported him in 2024.
According to a recent survey, 59 percent of Latino voters express a preference for a Democratic-controlled Congress, which is double the margin observed two years prior.
Within the same survey, 24 percent of Hispanic Americans approved of Trump's job performance.
