Jakarta, ThedailyID — California Governor Gavin Newsom has condemned US President Donald Trump after Trump said Iran could potentially destroy Los Angeles and San Diego.
Newsom linked Trump’s remarks to the recent deployment of National Guard troops and Marines to California.
“After sending the National Guard and Marines to occupy California, Donald Trump is now saying our foreign enemies should destroy Los Angeles and San Diego,” Newsom wrote on X on Monday, October 5.
“He is crazy and dangerous,” Newsom added.
San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria also criticized Trump’s comments. He said San Diego should not become collateral damage in discussions about war.
“San Diego is not collateral damage. We cannot be taken for granted. And we are not a small price to pay,” Gloria said.
“Keep our city out of your reckless talk about war,” he added.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass also called Trump’s remarks dangerous. She warned that the comments could put people’s safety at risk.
“The role of a president is to protect the country, not actively threaten it and encourage attacks on the lives of Americans,” Bass wrote on X.
Trump made the remarks while discussing the potential economic costs of a war with Iran. Speaking in Grand Island, Nebraska, he said Americans should accept some consequences if the conflict helped protect global and national security.
“They can destroy a city. Let them destroy Los Angeles, let them destroy San Diego. This is a very small price to pay,” Trump said.
White House Communications Director Steven Cheung later explained Trump’s remarks. He said Trump was referring to the potential threat from Iran if the country obtained nuclear weapons.
“He clearly stated that American cities would be threatened if Iran, which has nuclear weapons, is not stopped,” Cheung said.
“America is safer because of the president,” he added.
Los Angeles and San Diego are two of the largest metropolitan areas in Southern California. Both cities are home to millions of residents, major military installations, international trade centers and key economic infrastructure.
The CNN Indonesia report also noted that there was no evidence that Iranian weapons have the range to strike the US mainland or the capability to destroy an entire American city.
