Politics
NewsOnScale Staff
October 6, 2026
At a campaign rally, President Trump suggested that Iran could "take out" Los Angeles and San Diego, comments that drew immediate condemnation and that the White House moved to defend within hours.
The remarks, reported by the BBC, The Guardian, the Los Angeles Times, and WBAL-TV, landed four weeks before midterm elections as Trump campaigns across the country on a platform that includes economic grievances and anti-California messaging.
California Governor Gavin Newsom called the comments deranged.
The White House defended the remarks. No apology was issued.
The comments come as Iran continues to hold the Strait of Hormuz and as the administration's relationship with Tehran remains volatile following U.S. airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities earlier this year. Iran has previously threatened retaliation against U.S. allies and interests.
Los Angeles and San Diego are home to millions of American citizens, major military installations, and significant portions of the U.S. economy. San Diego hosts the U.S. Pacific Fleet. Suggesting that a foreign adversary could or should "take out" two American cities is without precedent in modern presidential rhetoric.
Trump's 33 percent approval rating, the lowest of his current term according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll released this week, comes as voters say rising costs are their primary concern. Whether comments like these affect that number will be seen in the next round of polling.
The midterms are four weeks away.
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