The White House is firing back after mainstream media outlets twisted President Donald Trump’s remarks about Iran into a completely fabricated scandal — claiming he “suggested allowing” Iran to attack American cities.
The truth? Trump was warning what would have happened if his administration hadn’t stopped Iran’s nuclear program.
At a Nebraska rally, Trump reminded Americans why stopping Iran’s nuclear ambitions was worth the temporary economic pain. “They can take out a city,” he said — referring to Iran’s potential capability if they had been allowed to develop nuclear weapons. “Let them take out Los Angeles. Let them take out San Diego. This is a very small price to pay, and it’s going to be over with very soon.”
Trump was clearly referencing high gas prices as the “small price” Americans are paying for security — not suggesting Iran should attack California.
“HE WAS SAYING THE U.S. IS FIGHTING TO STOP IRAN FROM HAVING THE ABILITY TO TAKE OUT LA AND SAN DIEGO WITH A NUCLEAR WEAPON — WHICH THEY WOULD IF THEY HAD THE CHANCE.”
But California’s Democrat politicians seized the moment to manufacture outrage.
Gov. Gavin Newsom claimed Trump is “deranged and dangerous,” going so far as to call the remarks possibly “treasonous.” He announced he’s directing the State Threat Assessment Center to monitor “foreign actors” who might “interpret the President’s remarks as an invitation.”
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass piled on: “The President of the United States suggested that a foreign government attack Los Angeles.”
The media ran with the distortion. Los Angeles Times published a headline stating Trump suggested allowing Iran to take out the cities.
Trump’s Rapid Response account didn’t hold back.
“No, he didn’t, you buffoons,” the account fired back at the Times headline. “He was saying the U.S. is fighting to STOP Iran from having the ability to take out LA and San Diego with a nuclear weapon — which they would if they had the chance.”
White House communications director Steven Cheung told the BBC the media freakout is “not rooted in reality.”
“He was clearly stating US cities would have been threatened if a nuclear Iran hadn’t been stopped,” Cheung said. “America is safer because of the President. Iran has no nuclear, no navy, no air force, and no money.”
The full context of Trump’s remarks makes his meaning unmistakable. He was explaining why Americans should accept temporarily higher gas prices in exchange for preventing Iran from gaining the capability to destroy American cities with nuclear weapons.
That’s the opposite of what Newsom, Bass, and the mainstream press are claiming.
Trump emphasized the war against Iran’s nuclear program is “essentially almost over with” and will “end very soon.” He noted Iran has “a big threshold for pain” — referring to the regime’s willingness to sacrifice its own people rather than abandon its nuclear ambitions.
“It’s going to end very soon, and it’ll end one way or the other,” Trump said.
The manufactured outrage reveals how desperate Trump’s critics have become — willing to distort a straightforward warning about nuclear threats into a conspiracy theory about presidential treason.
After sending the National Guard and Marines to occupy California, Donald Trump is now saying our foreign enemies should “take out” Los Angeles and San Diego.
He is deranged and dangerous. https://t.co/N4JQfecAYo
— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) October 6, 2026
Donald Trump’s remarks were dangerous — if not treasonous — putting a target on two of our biggest cities and one of America’s largest naval hubs.
I am directing the State Threat Assessment Center to actively monitor the situation in the event that foreign actors interpret the…
— Governor Gavin Newsom (@CAgovernor) October 6, 2026
