Trump faces backlash for saying Iran could 'take out' California cities at Nebraska rally
The crowd performs the wave at a rally for President Donald Trump on Monday at the Pinnacle Bank Expo Center at Fonner Park in Grand Island. Gov. Jim Pillen, Attorney General Mike Hilgers and others spoke before Trump took the stage.
GRAND ISLAND — President Donald Trump faced fierce backlash after telling a crowd of Nebraskans that Iran could "take out" major U.S. cities like Los Angeles or San Diego at a political rally in Grand Island on Monday night.Â
At the rally held on behalf of U.S. Sen. Pete Ricketts and other Republicans on the ballot this November, Trump said the U.S. needs to make economic sacrifices to win the war in Iran and that he was determined to "see a tremendous victory because it verifies all the things we did."
"And again, remember, with the war, it's just artificial, it's a little bit high, it's a small price to pay," Trump said, referring to high fuel and fertilizer cost and other cost-of-living concerns.
"It's a small price to pay for keeping the world safe, for keeping our country safe. They could take out a city. Let ’em take out Los Angeles, let ’em take out San Diego. This is a very small price to pay, and it's going to be over with very soon," Trump continued.
U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a campaign event at the Pinnacle Bank Expo Center at Fonner Park in Grand Island.
While the statement drew applause and cheers from supporters in attendance at the Pinnacle Bank Expo Center at Fonner Park, Trump's remarks quickly prompted backlash from politicians and people beyond Nebraska.
In a social media post Tuesday, California Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom said Trump's remarks "were dangerous — if not treasonous — putting a target on two of our biggest cities and one of America’s largest naval hubs."
"I am directing the State Threat Assessment Center to actively monitor the situation in the event that foreign actors interpret the President’s remarks as an invitation to target California," Newsom said.
More than 115,000 activity-duty service members are stationed in San Diego, including at Naval Base San Diego, according to the San Diego Military Advisory Council.
Naval Base San Diego is homeport to the Pacific Fleet Surface Navy, housing 60 U.S. Navy ships and two auxiliary vessels, according to the U.S. Navy. The base also hosts visiting surface ships from foreign navies and the U.S. Coast Guard.
Additionally, Camp Pendleton is 82 miles south of Los Angeles and roughly 39 miles north of San Diego and serves as the major West Coast base for the U.S. Marines.
Nanette Meister, a native Californian who lives in Oxnard, a coastal city in Ventura County between Los Angeles and Santa Barbara, told the Journal Star on Tuesday that Trump's remarks are "blowing up in California in a way that is just unprecedented."Â
"San Diego is home to one of our biggest naval and marine bases, so by President Trump saying 'let's bomb San Diego,' he's saying, 'let's bomb our Marines and our Navy,'" Meister said.
Beyond the military, Meister said California serves as an economic powerhouse not only nationally but also globally. It's home to the world's fourth-largest economy.
"People in Nebraska want to hate California, but I have news for you: California supports a lot of the red states financially. We send our money to red states, and then we get told go ahead and bomb two of our biggest cities," Meister said, adding that "it's not acceptable" that rally attendees cheered at the president's remarks about California.
In a social media post Tuesday, the White House asserted that America is safe because of Trump and that "Iran has no nuclear, no navy, no air force, and no money."
"The media freakout over President Trump’s comments is not rooted in reality. He was clearly stating U.S. cities would have been threatened if a nuclear Iran hadn't been stopped," said Steven Cheung, the White House's director of communications.
The White House's rapid response team also took to social media to defend the president.
"He was saying the U.S. is fighting to STOP Iran from having the ability to take out LA and San Diego with a nuclear weapon — which they would if they had the chance," the post read.
While Ricketts' challenger Dan Osborn, a registered nonpartisan, has agreed with Trump at times, Osborn said he wasn't amused by Trump's remark at a campaign event Tuesday in Papillion.
"I'm quick to laugh at a joke when it's funny even sometimes if it's in poor taste. That's not funny to joke about bombing American cities regardless of who they are, where they are, and what you think of them," Osborn said. "I think it was distasteful. I didn't laugh at that."
Omaha World-Herald reporter Dan Crisler contributed to this story.
Take a look at photos from a rally with U.S. Sen. Pete Ricketts with President Donald Trump in Grand Island.
Contact the writer at akleiber@journalstar.com or 715-370-4567. On X @annakleiber03
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