Trump faces backlash after saying Iran could "take out" LA and San Diego

In short: President Trump’s remark at a rally about Iran “taking out” Los Angeles and San Diego sparked sharp criticism, and the White House said his words were being misread.

What happened

President Trump spoke at a rally in Grand Island, Nebraska about the conflict with Iran and the risk of Iran gaining nuclear weapons. During that discussion, he said, “They can take out a city. Let ’em take out Los Angeles, let ’em take out San Diego,” and added, “This is a very small price to pay.”

California officials condemned the statement. Gov. Gavin Newsom called it “deranged and dangerous.” Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said the language was dangerous and could compromise the city’s safety, and San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria said San Diego was “not collateral damage” and was not expendable.

The White House defended Trump by saying he meant the United States was fighting to prevent Iran from gaining the ability to attack those cities, not that he was supporting an attack. The Los Angeles Times also described the remark as possibly a joke, but it reported the backlash as well. A Republican candidate for Congress in California, Jim Desmond, criticized the remark too, saying no American city should be treated as expendable.

The New York Times item that prompted the “Readers react” label appears to be a reader-response feature, but the actual reader letters or comments are not included in the available material.

Why it matters

Words from a president can shape public trust and safety concerns, especially when they involve threats to specific places where millions of people live (like pointing to a particular house in a neighborhood and talking about danger). Disputes over what was “meant” can also widen political divisions, because people judge intent differently even when the quote is the same.

Source: NYTimes