President Donald Trump clarified his remarks made three days earlier, stating he never invited Iran to bomb Los Angeles or San Diego. The comments were made during a rally in Grand Island, Nebraska, where Trump compared a temporary rise in gasoline prices to the hypothetical threat of Iranian missiles striking major U.S. cities. He said the higher fuel cost was a small price to pay to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump explained that his words were a comparison between paying more for gasoline and the danger of a potential attack. He insisted that “everybody knew” his meaning and accused media outlets of misrepresenting his statement as an invitation to the enemy. Trump also labeled journalists covering the remarks as “degenerates.”
The president’s comments were echoed at a later rally supporting Texas Senate candidate Ken Paxton, where he again urged listeners to imagine the “horror show” if missiles struck San Diego or Los Angeles. He later added that the U.S. would protect its cities and that such attacks would not occur.
White House communications director Steven Cheung dismissed the backlash as a “media freakout,” while California officials reacted strongly. Governor Gavin Newsom called the remarks “deranged and dangerous,” and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass stated that Trump had suggested a foreign government could attack the city.
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