President Donald Trump on Thursday, Oct. 8, 2026, said that his recent remarks regarding Iran potentially bombing Los Angeles and San Diego were a comparison intended to justify current gasoline prices. The president stated on Truth Social that paying "a little more" for fuel for a "short time" was preferable to the nuclear bombing of major American cities. He accused news organizations of reporting that he was "inviting" a foreign enemy to attack the two California cities.
The clarification follows a campaign rally in Grand Island, Nebraska, on Monday, Oct. 5, where the president defended a war he initiated eight months ago. According to reports, Trump discussed the impact of the conflict on energy costs, stating, "Let them take out Los Angeles; let them take out San Diego," as sections of the crowd cheered and booed at the mention of the cities. On Wednesday, Oct. 7, at a rally in San Antonio, Texas, the president repeated the scenario but added he would not let such an attack happen.
California officials responded to the initial remarks with criticism. Governor Gavin Newsom (D) described the comments as "deranged and dangerous" and directed the state’s State Threat Assessment Center to monitor for potential security threats. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass (D) and San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria (D) also issued statements characterizing the remarks as a threat to public safety and asserting that their residents are not "collateral damage."
White House Communications Director Steven Cheung defended the president’s statements on Tuesday, Oct. 6, calling the reaction a "media freakout." Cheung said the president was stating U.S. cities would have been threatened had Iran’s nuclear program not been stopped. The official White House rapid response account further characterized journalists reporting on the comments as "buffoons," asserting the administration is fighting to prevent Iran from gaining the capability to strike the West Coast.
The dispute highlights friction between the federal government and California’s state leadership during an active military conflict. By directing the State Threat Assessment Center to monitor the situation, Governor Newsom shifted the issue to a state-level security monitoring task. The scale of the military presence in these areas is substantial; for example, Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton alone supports approximately 70,000 service members and civilians.
The incident sets a precedent for how the executive branch discusses domestic targets in the context of foreign war and energy policy. While the White House maintains the president’s language was a rhetorical comparison about nuclear deterrence, local leaders maintain it complicates the safety of American jurisdictions. Moving forward, the impact of these statements may be reflected in the 2026 midterm elections, as the president continues to campaign for Republican candidates like Senator Pete Ricketts and Ken Paxton.