The White House scrambled Tuesday to defend President Donald Trump's claim at a Monday-night Nebraska rally that Iran could 'take out' Los Angeles and San Diego, as California leaders fired back.
White House Communications Director Stephen Cheung said Trump was describing a hypothetical scenario of a nuclear-armed Iran absent U.S. military action — not wishing for attacks on American cities.
California Governor Gavin Newsom called the remarks 'deranged and dangerous' and 'treasonous.' Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass called them threats designed to encourage attacks on Americans, and San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria objected to what he called 'reckless war talk.' Both cities host major military infrastructure, including Naval Base San Diego and the Space Force Systems Command headquarters in Los Angeles.
The clash marks an escalation in the long-running feud between the Trump White House and California's Democratic leadership, with military posturing toward Iran as the latest flashpoint.
