War of Words
The president mused about the obliteration of Los Angeles and San Diego at a rally in Nebraska on Monday
The midterm elections are weeks away and Donald Trump is on the campaign trail, trying desperately to persuade Americans that the cost-of-living crisis both isn’t his fault and not that big of a deal.
He was in Nebraska on Monday, insisting that soaring costs are “a small price to pay” to ensure Iran doesn’t have a nuclear weapon.
“It’s a small price to pay for keeping the world safe, for keeping our country safe,” he said. “They could take out a city. Let them take out Los Angeles. Let them take out San Diego. This is a very small price to pay.”
It certainly seems that the “very small price to pay” is in reference to high prices, not the obliteration of Los Angeles or San Diego, despite how Trump’s comments have been characterized on the internet. Nevertheless, it isn’t great that the president of the United States is casually tossing out the prospect of Iran annihilating major cities in a state he has repeatedly denigrated.
The state’s lawmakers are not happy.
“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,” wrote California Gov. Gavin Newsom. “He is deranged and dangerous.”
The mayors of Los Angeles and San Diego also weighed in. “The President of the United States suggested that a foreign government attack Los Angeles,” wrote Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass. “His statements against our city are dangerous and could potentially compromise our safety. The role of a president is to protect the country, not to actively threaten it and encourage attacks on American lives. In the face of irresponsible threats, as Angelenos, we know how to stand together and protect our city.”
“San Diego is not collateral damage. We are not expendable. And we are never a ‘small price to pay.’ Keep our city out of your reckless war talk,” added San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria.
Rep. Derek Tran (D-Calif.) was born in Los Angeles and currently represents parts of the city in Congress. He wrote: “I’ve remained silent to the topic of President Trump’s mental fitness but his statement today can only lead me to affirmatively believe that: 1. Trump is suffering from mental health issues for calling on the deaths of millions of Americans; 2. A sitting U.S. President encouraging the attacks on two U.S. cities is treasonous; and 3. There is no option but to win this November to make him a lame-duck to protect the lives of millions of patriotic Americans.”
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Maria Shriver, the former first lady of California, wrote that Trump’s comments should “outrage every American.”
“This is the president of the United States telling Iran to bomb American cities,” she continued. “I live in Los Angeles, but that’s beside the point. Tomorrow it could be your city. My fellow Americans, this is not normal. This is not funny. This behavior should ring alarm bells for us all!”
Trump’s war on Iran doesn’t seem to have limited Iran’s nuclear capabilities, or dissuaded its leaders from pursuing nuclear weapons, to any significant degree. He also tore up the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, the 2015 multilateral agreement in which Iran agreed to limit its uranium enrichment and submit to monitoring from the International Atomic Energy Agency. It’s hard to argue Trump has made much progress toward “keeping our country” safe since the agreement was in effect.
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White House spokesperson Steven Cheung defended Trump on Tuesday. “The media freakout over President Trump’s comments is not rooted in reality,” he wrote. “He was clearly stating U.S. cities would have been threatened if a nuclear Iran hadn’t been stopped. America is safer because of the President. Iran has no nuclear, no navy, no air force, and no money.”
Trump also posted about the rally on Tuesday morning. “My Rally crowds and enthusiasm are unbelievable!” he wrote. “Nobody has ever seen anything like it.”
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