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President Trump made these remarks while addressing an "unpopular war" and "stubbornly high gas prices," framing the ongoing conflict as a necessary sacrifice to keep the country and the world safe.

San Diego is a significant military hub; a 2025 report from the San Diego Military Advisory Council indicates that military bases across the city employ more than 136,000 active duty members and civilians. Representative Scott Peters noted that the city is a "proud military town" with 115,000 active duty servicemembers and their families.

California Governor Gavin Newsom called the President "deranged and dangerous," claiming the President was suggesting foreign enemies should "take out" the cities. San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria stated, "San Diego is not collateral damage. We are not expendable." Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass stated his comments were "dangerous" and could "compromise our safety," asserting that a president's role is to protect the country rather than threaten it.

The White House and administration accounts clarified that the President was misunderstood. Communications Director Steven Cheung argued that Trump was "clearly stating U.S. cities would have been threatened if a nuclear Iran hadn't been stopped," emphasizing that the goal was to stop Iran from having the ability to attack those cities.

During a rally in Nebraska, President Trump argued that the current economic pain and war were a small price to pay for national and global safety. He stated, "They can take out a city. Let them take, let it — let them take out Los Angeles. Let them take out San Diego. That's — this is a very small price to pay, and it's gonna be over very soon."