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Trump at Nebraska rally says Iran could "take out" Los Angeles or San Diego; Newsom condemns it

At a Nebraska rally on 5 October, President Trump said the US is "kicking Iran's ass" and that Iran taking out Los Angeles or San Diego would be a "very small price to pay". California Governor Gavin Newsom called Trump "deranged and dangerous".

3 outlets · 1L · 2C · 0R First reported Account updated

Updated (version 2). New coverage since the last version from Anadolu Agency.

Image: Daily Mirror
Image: Anadolu Agency

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The story, neutrally told

Mixed · 2Speaking at a campaign rally in Grand Island, Nebraska, on Monday 5 October, President Donald Trump said the US is "kicking Iran's ass" and that Iran could "take out" Los Angeles or San Diego, calling that "a very small price to pay". Mixed · 2Trump made the remarks while talking about the Iran war and high fuel prices, which Trump described as "artificial" and "a little bit high". Left · 1Trump also said the war was "essentially almost over" and would "end one way or the other", and predicted that fuel prices would "come down very sharply".

Left · 1The Daily Mirror described the comments as appearing to goad Iran into attacking, and as a "bizarre war rant" delivered during a speech to rally voters before the 3 November midterm elections. Centre · 1California Governor Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, was among the first to respond. Newsom said Trump had sent the National Guard and Marines to occupy California and was now saying foreign enemies should "take out" Los Angeles and San Diego, adding: "He is deranged and dangerous." Centre · 1Other critics also condemned the remarks online. Independent journalist Jim Acosta wrote that the crowd began to applaud, and described Trump as fantasizing about the two cities being wiped out by a nuclear attack. Hindustan Times quotes Acosta saying "This is not normal." Neither article reports a response from Trump or the White House to the criticism.

Centre · 1In the same Nebraska speech, Trump pledged to expand access to tax-exempt diesel fuel and said Nebraska would defeat the "radical-left Dumb-o-crats", according to Hindustan Times, which noted that high fuel prices have hit farmers and truckers there. Left · 1Trump is on what the Mirror calls a 32-day blitz of rallies before 3 November. Trump has already visited Oklahoma and Alabama and is due in San Antonio, Texas, on Wednesday. Centre · 1Hindustan Times, citing Reuters, reports that a Reuters/Ipsos poll on Monday put Trump's approval at 32%, matching the lowest reading of Trump's political career. Registered voters preferred Democrats over Republicans 44% to 37% in the midterm race. The poll also found Democrats competitive in Nebraska, which Trump won by more than 20 points in 2024, where Republican Senator Pete Ricketts faces independent Dan Osborn.

Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.

Left1 outlet

Framing
Presents the remarks as an erratic outburst at a rally, led by the goading of Iran.
Emphasis
Trump's boasts that the US is winning, the claim that the war is 'almost over', and the rally schedule.
Leaves out or plays down
Does not include Newsom's or other critics' reactions, or the polling context.
Charged language
“bizarre war rant”“goads”
For example
“Donald Trump appeared to goad Iran to attack Los Angeles or San Diego in a bizarre war rant” — Daily Mirror

Centre2 outlets

Framing
Frames the story as a political row, led by the backlash and Newsom's criticism.
Emphasis
Reactions from Newsom, critics and Jim Acosta, plus Trump's low approval and the competitive Nebraska race.
Leaves out or plays down
Does not report Trump's claims that the war is 'almost over' or that prices will fall sharply.
Charged language
“deranged and dangerous”“massive backlash”
For example
“He is deranged and dangerous,” the Democrat who has often butted heads with the Republican president, remarked.” — Hindustan Times

Right0 outlets

No right outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.