Donald Trump suggested allowing Iran to “take out” Los Angeles and San Diego during a campaign rally in Nebraska, prompting condemnation from California Governor Gavin Newsom and the mayors of both cities.
“It’s a small price to pay for keeping the world safe, keeping our country safe,” Mr Trump told the crowd. “They can take out a city. Let them take out Los Angeles. Let them take out San Diego.”
Attendees cheered after the remarks.
Mr Newsom accused the president of making dangerous comments after sending the National Guard and Marines to occupy California. “He is deranged and dangerous,” he wrote.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said the president’s responsibility was to protect Americans rather than encourage attacks. “The role of a president is to protect the country, not to actively threaten it and encourage attacks on American lives,” she said.
Los Angeles is the country’s second-most populous city and is home to the US Space Force’s Space Systems Command headquarters, as well as aerospace contractors including Lockheed Martin, Boeing and Northrop Grumman. It also hosts federally funded research centres such as the RAND Corporation.
San Diego has major military installations in and around the city, including Naval Base San Diego, homeport of the US Navy’s Pacific Fleet; Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton; and Naval Amphibious Base Coronado, the main training ground for Navy SEALs on the west coast.
San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria rejected the suggestion that the city could be sacrificed. “San Diego is not collateral damage,” he said. “We are not expendable. And we are never a ‘small price to pay.’ Keep our city out of your reckless war talk.”
