'Let 'em take out Los Angeles': Trump sparks fury after barb suggesting Iran destroy LA, San Diego

"It's a small price to pay for keeping the world safe, for keeping our country safe. They could take out a city. Let 'em take out Los Angeles, let 'em take out San Diego," Trump said.

US President Donald Trump suggested to a crowd of his supporters in Nebraska that Iran could "take out" a major US city like Los Angeles or San Diego, drawing a swift rebuke from California's Democratic leaders and some fellow Republicans.

Trump, speaking at a political rally in the state's farm belt on Monday, discussed American wartime economic sacrifices and said he was determined to "see a tremendous victory, because 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," he told the crowd in Grand Island, Nebraska, apparently referring to rising prices of fuel, fertilizer and other products attributed to energy market disruptions from the war.

"It's a small price to pay for keeping the world safe, for keeping our country safe. They could take out a city. Let 'em take out Los Angeles, let 'em take out San Diego. This is a very small price to pay, and it's going to be over with very soon," he said, speaking about a month before midterm elections that could sweep Democrats back in control of Congress.

"It's essentially almost over with," Trump went on. "But it's going to end very soon, and it's going to end one way or the other."

Newsoom: Trump 'deranged and dangerous'

Trump has shrugged off inflation concerns stemming from the Iran conflict before, and even downplayed his concerns about the potential for Iran or its allies to launch an attack on US soil.

But Monday's comments prompted a backlash from California officials.

California Governor Gavin Newsom denounced the Republican president as "deranged and dangerous."

"After sending the National Guard and Marines to occupy California, Donald Trump is now saying our foreign enemies should 'take out' Los Angeles and San Diego," he wrote on X/Twitter.

Newsom, a Democrat who has positioned himself as a major political foil to Trump and is considered a possible candidate for the Democratic Party's presidential nomination in 2028, juxtaposed a video clip of Trump in Nebraska with mention of the president's previous rhetoric to justify deploying US military troops to Los Angeles and other cities to fight crime and enforce immigration.

Republican distances himself from Trump comments

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, a Democrat and former member of Congress, likewise chided Trump for his comments.

"The president of the United States suggested that a foreign government attack Los Angeles. His statements against our city are dangerous and could potentially compromise our safety," Bass said in a statement.

San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria, a Democrat, wrote on X: "We are never a 'small price to pay.' Keep our city out of your reckless war talk."

Jim Desmond, a California Republican seeking a US House seat, distanced himself from Trump's remarks.

"I vehemently disagree with President 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," he wrote on X. "No American city is expendable, and no American family should ever be treated as collateral damage."

There was no immediate response from the White House to a request by Reuters for comment on criticism of Trump's remarks.

Los Angeles and San Diego rank as the largest and second-largest cities in California by population, and LA ranks as the second-most populous city in the nation, trailing only New York City.