President Donald Trump's suggestion at a campaign rally in Grand Island, Nebraska today that Iran could "take out" Los Angeles and San Diego drew quick criticism from San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria and other California Democratic elected officials.
"San Diego is not collateral damage," Gloria wrote on X. "We are not expendable. And we are never a "small price to pay. Keep our city out of your reckless war talk."
Trump said he wanted to "see a tremendous victory" in the November election "cause 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 for keeping the world safe, keeping our country safe," he continued. "They can take out a city, let 'em take out Los Angeles, let 'em take out San Diego. This is a very small price to pay."
On his X account, Gov. Gavin Newsom called Trump, "deranged and dangerous."
San Diego City Councilmember Marni von Wilpert said Trump's comment was "appalling and terrifying."
"Californians are already paying for this terrible war every time we fill up the tank," von Wilpert, the Democratic candidate for the open 48th Congressional District seat, said in a statement.
"Now, the president is talking about a foreign government attacking a United States city as if it was just the cost of doing business. This is an impeachable offense by the commander in chief, who swore an oath to protect our country. Our homes, our families and our communities cannot be treated as collateral damage or a political punchline by this president."
Von Wilpert's Republican opponent, San Diego County Supervisor Jim Desmond, said he "vehemently" disagreed with Trump's comments.
"America must stand up to Iran and defend our interests, but the first responsibility of our commander in chief is to protect the American people and our homeland," Desmond wrote on social media.
"As a Navy veteran, I served to protect Americans, not write off American cities as an acceptable price of war. Our job is to keep Americans safe, stand up to our enemies, and make sure a threat like that never becomes reality. No American city is expendable, and no American family should ever be treated as collateral damage."
There was no immediate reply to an email sent late Monday night to the White House Press Office seeking a response to the comments by Gloria and Newsom.
