Trump draws cheers, then criticism for musing about Iran taking out U.S. cities

President Donald Trump suggested at a Monday night campaign rally in Grand Island, Nebraska, that Iran could destroy two major American cities, a remark that drew laughter and applause from the audience and sharp condemnation from a prominent Democrat. Speaking as he defended his war on Iran against complaints about fuel costs, Trump maintained that elevated gas prices are short-lived and justified. He then said Tehran could "take out" Los Angeles and San Diego, calling that a small price to pay and promising the conflict would end soon. California Governor Gavin Newsom, a Democrat considered a possible 2028 presidential contender, responded on X by labeling Trump "deranged and dangerous." The Associated Press, in the PBS NewsHour account, notes that Trump has often disparaged big, Democratic-leaning American cities. He sent federal military personnel into Los Angeles as part of what he described as an anti-crime effort, even though local officials did not want them there. At a recent rally in North Carolina, he described that state's cities as killing fields soaked in blood, although FBI statistics put North Carolina's violent crime rate in the middle third of all states.

Summarized by PolitiKool from PBS NewsHour’s reporting. Read the full story at PBS NewsHour →