Newsom calls comments ‘deranged and dangerous’; Bass cites attack risk
The White House said US President Donald Trump was warning that American cities would have been threatened by Iran had he not launched a war there earlier in 2026, according to BBC News. The statement defended remarks Trump made at a midterms rally in Nebraska suggesting Iran could “take out” Los Angeles and San Diego. BBC News reported that the comments drew “fierce backlash from California politicians” and “a strongly worded rebuttal from the White House.”
California Governor Gavin Newsom called the comments “deranged and dangerous.” Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass described Trump’s remarks as threats and an attempt to “encourage attacks on American lives.” Both officials hold California’s top state and city offices.
Los Angeles and San Diego are the largest cities in Southern California and house major US military installations, including Navy ports and Air Force bases, according to BBC News.