The White House and California officials issued conflicting interpretations Tuesday of remarks made by President Donald Trump during a Monday campaign rally in Nebraska. During the event, the president discussed the ongoing conflict with Iran, stating that the current war was necessary to prevent future threats to the United States.
At the rally, Trump addressed rising prices tied to the conflict, calling them "a small price to pay for keeping the world safe, keeping our country safe." He then stated, "They could take out a city. Let them take out Los Angeles; let them take out San Diego. This is a very small price to pay. And it’s gonna be over with very soon." The comments were met with cheers from sections of the audience.
White House Communications Director Steven Cheung stated on Tuesday that the media's reaction was "not rooted in reality." The White House Rapid Response account on X further stated that the president meant the U.S. is fighting to prevent Iran from obtaining the nuclear capability to target these cities. CNN fact-checker Daniel Dale supported this view, stating the viral headlines were not a correct paraphrase and that Trump was arguing that war-related costs, such as higher gas prices, were a small price to pay compared to the risk of an unchecked Iran.
California Governor Gavin Newsom (D) described the remarks as "deranged and dangerous," directing the California State Threat Assessment Center to monitor for any foreign actors who might interpret the speech as an invitation for an attack. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria also condemned the statements, with Gloria stating that his city was not "collateral damage" for "reckless war talk."
The disagreement comes amid a period of ongoing military conflict with Iran that has impacted global oil markets. The White House maintains that the war has effectively neutralized Iran's navy, air force, and financial resources.
Governor Newsom's directive to the State Threat Assessment Center means state security agencies are tasked with evaluating foreign interpretations of the rhetoric. Residents have already noticed the economic impact of the conflict through rising energy and gas prices, which the president characterized Monday as a necessary trade-off for safety.
The political friction follows previous disagreements between the Newsom administration and the White House, including the deployment of the National Guard and Marines to the state. Governor Newsom described the recent remarks as potentially "treasonous." No specific dates for updated security protocols or further legislative responses were reported.