California Governor Gavin Newsom has called for the invocation of the 25th Amendment, suggesting former President Donald Trump is mentally unfit to hold office. Newsom's remarks came after Trump, speaking at a rally in Nebraska, stated that an attack by Iran on the cities of Los Angeles and San Diego would be "a small price to pay" for ensuring global safety and that the conflict would end after the U.S. midterm elections.
Newsom, who has previously raised concerns about Trump's fitness for office and referred to the 25th Amendment in relation to Trump's handling of the war with Iran, described the former president's comments as "madness," "dangerous," and "deranged." He argued that such rhetoric could put military personnel stationed in San Diego at risk and that adversaries would be listening. Newsom also directed California's State Threat Assessment Center to monitor the situation in case foreign actors interpret Trump's remarks as an invitation to target the state.
The White House defended Trump's comments, with Communications Director Steven Cheung stating the remarks were misinterpreted and that Trump was referring to the threat of a nuclear Iran. Cheung asserted that America is safer with Trump in control, noting Iran's current lack of nuclear capability, a navy, an air force, and financial resources.
Political Reactions
Trump's statement drew swift criticism from other California politicians, particularly Democrats. Gubernatorial candidate Xavier Becerra emphasized that the lives of millions in Los Angeles and San Diego counties are not expendable. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass called Trump's remark "completely irresponsible," stating a president's role is to protect the country, not threaten it. San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria echoed this sentiment, asserting that his city is not collateral damage and should be kept out of "reckless war talk."
More than 40 Democratic members of the U.S. Congress representing California, including Senators Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff, signed a statement demanding an apology from Trump to the residents of both cities. Even some Republicans voiced disagreement. Jim Desmond, a Republican candidate for a U.S. House seat, stated as a Navy veteran, his duty is to protect Americans, not to write off cities as an acceptable price of war. Rep. Kevin Kiley, a former Republican running as an independent, called the rhetoric unhelpful, though he noted there was no evidence Iran could strike the state.
Questions of Coherence
Observers have suggested that Trump's "small price to pay" phrasing, which he also used in relation to fuel costs, may signal increasing incoherence rather than malice. This has reignited long-standing questions about Trump's mental acuity and fitness for the presidency. A recent interview with TIME was described by a Slate writer as showing "moments of confusion, incoherence, and paranoia." Critics have consistently questioned Trump's mental and cognitive health, though his administration has maintained his fitness for duty.
George Conway, a vocal Trump critic, posted on X that while Trump's incoherence makes discerning his meaning difficult, it is clear he is a "sadistic and delusional narcissistic sociopath" concerned only with how events affect him, regardless of the human cost.