According to the American newspaper 'The Fierce News', U.S. President Donald Trump stated at a rally on the 5th local time that Iran could 'destruction' two American cities: Los Angeles, the second-largest city in California, and San Diego, a major town on the Mexican border.
Trump made this astonishing statement as the United States is about to face a crucial mid-term election. The Republican and Democratic parties are engaged in a fierce competition for control of both houses of Congress.
On the 5th, Trump gave a speech at a rally in Nebraska, a stronghold of the Republican Party, to boost the morale of the Republicans.
He started by saying, “Remember, this war is only caused by humans. The prices are a bit high.” This year, Trump ordered military actions against Iran, which significantly increased the living costs for American citizens. Currently, the national average price of gasoline in the United States has reached $4.37 per gallon.
Trump argued, “For maintaining world security and our national security, this is a small cost.”
They (Iran) can destroy a city – let them destroy Los Angeles, let them destroy San Diego. This is a very small price to pay. Trump named both Los Angeles and San Diego, cities controlled by the Democratic Party, in his speech.
At the gathering, supporters of "Make America Great Again" (MAGA) cheered enthusiastically.
Trump then said, "The war will soon end. It's basically almost over. Of course, they might still drag it out for a while, you know. They always say they have the ability to endure pain. They need to do this, I tell you."
The Los Angeles Times reported that Trump's remarks may have had a joking tone, but still sparked strong responses from California political figures.
California Governor Newsom criticized on X platform, saying: "After deploying the National Guard and Marine Corps to 'occupy' California, Trump now says that foreign enemies should be allowed to 'destroy' Los Angeles and San Diego."
He has lost his mind and is highly dangerous. Nielsen wrote.
Nussen's press office also posted a statement saying: "Let's make it clear: the president is advocating attacking over 10 million residents in two major cities of the United States. This is not normal. Everything is not normal. We will continue to remind people about this every day."
Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa wrote: "The President of the United States hinted that foreign governments may attack Los Angeles. His remarks about our city are very dangerous and could endanger our security."
San Diego Mayor Gloria also issued a statement criticizing: "San Diego is not an appendage that can be sacrificed. We are not people who can be sacrificed. We are by no means the so-called 'small price'. Do not involve our city in your reckless war rhetoric."
According to 'Beast Daily', aside from Trump, there have been few other U.S. presidents in history who suggested that bombing an American city could be considered an acceptable cost.
The report indicates that in April this year, Trump once threatened to destroy Iran’s “entire civilization”. However, his claim that American cities could also withstand war strikes marks a new phase of his exaggerated rhetoric.
Trump has also previously released destructive images targeting the United States.
In September 2025, when Trump threatened to send National Guard troops to Chicago, he posted a meme that resembled the movie "Apocalypse Now"—Trump wearing a hat and sunglasses, with rolling flames behind him and helicopters circling over Chicago.
The Los Angeles Times points out that it is still unclear whether Trump’s statements are based on any intelligence, and whether Iran has the capability to launch missile attacks against the United States remains unconfirmed.
In March of this year, Iran fired missiles at the “United States-British Military Base” in Diego Garcia, located in the Indian Ocean. Iran’s Foreign Minister stated that Iran had limited the missile range to within 2000 kilometers. The attack on Diego Garcia clearly exceeded this range.
In March of this year, California law enforcement agencies received a warning that the ongoing war between the United States and Iran could lead to sudden drone attacks in California. However, sources told the Los Angeles Times that there was no credible intelligence to support this assessment, and local officials also said they did not take this threat seriously.
The New York Times mentions that Trump’s latest remarks may be related to Iran’s alleged nuclear weapon development. One of the main reasons why Trump launched military action against Iran this year was to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons.
Reports say that the White House has not yet responded to Trump's remarks.
