President Donald Trump suggested that Iran could "take out" Los Angeles and San Diego during a campaign rally on Monday, October 5, 2026. Speaking in Grand Island, Nebraska, Trump described the potential loss of the two California cities as a "small price to pay" for maintaining national and global safety. The remarks were made during a speech where he discussed the ongoing war with Iran and encouraged residents of the state to vote in the upcoming November election.
The comments follow several months of conflict between the United States and Iran that began in February 2026. This conflict has been accompanied by rising domestic energy costs, with the national average price of gasoline reaching $4.37 per gallon. While Trump attributed high prices to refinery closures in Democratic-led states and Ukrainian strikes on Russian infrastructure, shipping data and analysts cited by news outlets linked the costs to supply bottlenecks and insurance fees resulting from the war.
California officials, including Governor Gavin Newsom (D), L.A. Mayor Karen Bass, and San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria, issued statements criticizing the president's rhetoric. Newsom described the remarks as dangerous, noting that the president had previously sent National Guard and Marine units to the state. Mayor Bass stated that a president's role is to protect the country rather than encourage attacks on American lives. In his speech, Trump had also predicted that the war would end soon and that gas prices would eventually decrease.
Residents in these regions would face immediate threats to physical safety and the potential loss of essential services if military installations or urban centers were targeted. Beyond the immediate physical danger, the rhetoric introduces uncertainty regarding federal protection for specific states during an active war. While it is not clear if Iran possesses the ballistic missile capability to reach the U.S. mainland—with reported range limits currently near 1,240 miles—U.S. officials have previously expressed concerns that Iran's space program could facilitate the development of intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs).
The economic impact of the ongoing war is already reflected in household budgets, with national gas prices up more than $1.00 per gallon since the start of the current presidential term. Voters in states as distant as Alaska reported reducing spending on groceries and travel due to these costs. As the November 2026 midterm elections approach, the political focus remains on whether the administration can resolve the conflict or stabilize energy markets. The next major milestone for the administration is the November election, which Trump stated would serve as a verification of his policies.