Trump Repeats Iran Remarks About California Cities, Says US Would Protect Them

President Donald Trump sparked the controversy at a political rally in Nebraska on October 5. He suggested that Iran could "take out" Los Angeles and San Diego, according to ABCNews.com.

Axios reported his words as: "Let them take out Los Angeles. Let them take out San Diego." Al Jazeera described the remarks as a joke, while Global News reported that they drew cheers at the rally before attracting criticism.

By October 6, California officials were publicly condemning the remarks. NBC News reported that officials called them "deranged" and "irresponsible." California Gov. Gavin Newsom described Trump as "deranged and dangerous," according to the New York Post.

The response went beyond objections to Trump's language. The Hill reported on October 6 that Newsom called for the 25th Amendment. The outlet also reported outrage from at least one House GOP candidate, alongside California Democrats.

The White House rejected the interpretation that Trump was inviting an attack. According to the Times of Israel, the administration said he was illustrating the threat posed by a nuclear Iran. The Independent reported that White House Communications Director Steven Cheung wrote: "The media freakout over President Trump's comments is not rooted in reality."

Criticism continued on October 7. David Urban, a former adviser to President Trump, described the remarks as "clumsy, sloppy," according to The Hill. The Independent separately reported that Trump refused to explain the rally remark when a journalist asked him about it.

At a Texas rally on October 7, Trump returned to the same scenario. In coverage published October 8, The Hill reported that he said, "Let them hit San Diego, let them hit Los Angeles," but added that the United States would not allow that to happen.

Trump's latest comments pair a repetition of the attack scenario with an explicit promise to prevent it. NBC News reported that he said "we protect our cities" at the San Antonio rally, which was intended to rally voters behind Texas Republicans ahead of the midterms.

The coverage describes that shift differently. The Hill called it doubling down, while Forbes characterized it as a clarification. Both reported the central addition: Trump said he would not let the attacks happen. That is also consistent with the White House's explanation that he was discussing a threat, rather than endorsing an attack.

The remaining question is whether Trump's promise to protect the cities answers the objections to his original wording. The supplied coverage does not establish whether Newsom or the other officials who condemned the remarks have accepted his latest explanation.