California political leaders have strongly condemned remarks made by former President Donald Trump during a rally in Nebraska, where he suggested that Iran bombing U.S. cities like Los Angeles and San Diego would be a "small price to pay" for national safety.
Governor Gavin Newsom called Trump's comments "disgusting and disqualifying," and his press office stated, "This is not normal. None of this is."
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass responded on her official account, saying, "The role of a president is to protect the country, not to actively threaten it and encourage attacks on American lives." She also expressed her sentiment more directly on her personal account, stating, "Keep LA out of your damn mouth."
San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria echoed similar sentiments, tweeting, "San Diego is not collateral damage. We are not expendable. And we are never a 'small price to pay.' Keep our city out of your reckless war talk."
Several members of Congress representing the San Diego area also voiced their objections. Rep. Sara Jacobs stated, "My constituents — including many active duty service members, veterans, and their families — are not acceptable collateral damage in Trump’s stupid war." Rep. Scott Peters highlighted San Diego's large military population, noting that "No American city is a small price to pay. No American life is."
Democratic Senators Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff also criticized Trump. Padilla pointed to the loss of American lives in the conflict with Iran, stating, "Now Trump is in Nebraska inviting an attack on U.S. soil, putting millions of Americans and hundreds of thousands of our servicemembers at risk." Schiff questioned Trump's repeated assertions that the conflict would end soon, especially if it meant attacks on American cities.
Despite widespread criticism from California Democrats and some Republicans, an official from the Trump campaign later suggested the president's remarks were intended to convey a desire to prevent Tehran from attacking the U.S. However, the initial phrasing led to significant backlash.
Amidst the criticism, Jim Desmond, a Republican candidate for California's 48th Congressional District and a Navy veteran, stated he "vehemently" disagreed with Trump's comments, emphasizing that "the first responsibility of our Commander in Chief is to protect the American people and our homeland."