Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass (D) and other California officials criticized statements made by President Donald Trump regarding the potential for Iranian attacks on U.S. cities. During a campaign rally in Grand Island, Nebraska, on Monday, October 5, 2026, Trump discussed the conflict with Iran and the resulting economic impact, suggesting that an attack on Los Angeles or San Diego would be a "small price to pay" for national security.
The remarks were made as Trump addressed a crowd of supporters, defending U.S. military involvement with Iran and current energy costs. During the speech, he said, "They can 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 later stated that the remarks were intended to illustrate that U.S. cities would have been threatened if a nuclear-armed Iran had not been stopped.
Mayor Bass told MS NOW on Tuesday, October 6, that she was "horrified" by the comments, stating that a president should not speak of major U.S. cities as a "potential cost of war." San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria also responded on social media, stating that his city is not "collateral damage" or "expendable." California Governor Gavin Newsom (D) said he directed the California State Threat Assessment Center to monitor the situation to ensure foreign actors did not interpret the remarks as an invitation to target the state.
The scale of the reported impact involves two of the nation's most populous metropolitan areas. A change that residents may notice includes increased activity by the California State Threat Assessment Center, which Governor Newsom directed to monitor foreign actor interpretations of the president’s rhetoric. Additionally, Rep. Sara Jacobs (D-CA) noted that the comments affect constituents in her district, including service members and their families who reside in the San Diego area.
Knock-on effects include potential diplomatic and security precedents regarding how a sitting president characterizes domestic targets. Mayor Bass stated that the rhetoric could "potentially compromise our safety" and called for an official apology and explanation. What happens next involves the continued monitoring of foreign actor responses by state security agencies; however, Mayor Bass noted on October 6 that she was not currently aware of any active threats to Southern California resulting from the conflict. White House Communications Director Steven Cheung stated that the administration's stance is that confronting Iran has prevented greater threats to U.S. cities.