President Donald Trump repeated concerns about Iranian missiles potentially targeting Los Angeles or San Diego. This followed the White House addressing misunderstandings about his previous comments.
At a rally in San Antonio, Texas, Trump stated, “I said it the other day, let them hit a missile into San Diego or Los Angeles on the way.” He questioned, “You want to see a horror show? Let them hit San Diego. Let them hit Los Angeles. You want to see some bad things happen?”
These comments mirrored those he made at a Nebraska rally defending the conflict with Iran. On Monday, Trump remarked, “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.”
Californian officials expressed strong disapproval of Trump’s wording. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass condemned the remarks, stating on X that they were “dangerous and could potentially compromise our safety.” She emphasized the president’s duty to protect the nation, criticizing any suggestion of attacks on American cities.
San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria also responded, declaring that San Diego was “not collateral damage” and “never a ‘small price to pay.’”
California Governor Gavin Newsom responded on X, describing Trump’s statements as “dangerous” and potentially treasonous. He noted the remarks could place a target on key cities. Newsom instructed the State Threat Assessment Center (STAC) to monitor the situation, given the risk that foreign actors might misinterpret Trump’s comments.
The STAC remains California’s core fusion center for threat analysis and intelligence sharing. Despite Governor Newsom’s request on October 6, there has been no acknowledged change to California’s formal threat level.
The White House countered criticisms on Tuesday. Communications Director Steven Cheung explained that Trump’s remarks were intended to communicate the threat posed by a nuclear Iran, suggesting media reactions were exaggerated.
During Wednesday’s rally, Trump reassured his supporters, stating, “We’re not going to let that happen. We protect our cities. We protect our country.”
Governor Newsom took to X again, accusing Trump of trying to instill fear to boost support for MAGA candidates. He argued that Trump’s comments amounted to an implausible threat, affecting millions of Americans.
Discussion surrounding Iran’s missile threat to the U.S. continues. Sam Lair, from the Foreign Policy Research Institute, informed Newsweek that Iran lacks missiles with the range needed to hit Los Angeles or San Diego. Iran’s longest-range missiles reach 1,200 miles, far less than the 5,600 miles needed to target the U.S. mainland.
Protesters interrupted Trump’s speech in San Antonio, where he campaigned for Texas Republican Senate candidate Ken Paxton.