Trump’s LA and San Diego comments ‘dangerous, if not treasonous’, says Newsom – US politics live

Trump Rally Remarks on Iran Prompt Criticism from California Democrats and Clarification from White House

Donald Trump stated at a campaign rally in Grand Island, Nebraska, on Monday that elevated energy prices resulting from U.S. military operations against Iran represented a limited cost for national security. He added that Iranian forces could strike U.S. cities if nuclear capabilities had not been addressed, naming Los Angeles and San Diego as examples.

The full sequence in the remarks began with the claim that prices constituted “a small price to pay for keeping the world safe – keeping our country safe.” Trump then said: “They can take out a city. Let them take out Los Angeles. Let them take out San Diego.”

California Governor Gavin Newsom directed the state’s threat-assessment center to increase monitoring of potential risks. In a post on X, Newsom described the remarks as “dangerous – if not treasonous – putting a target on two of our biggest cities and one of America’s largest naval hubs,” and stated that the center would remain on heightened alert “in the event that foreign actors interpret the president’s remarks as an invitation to target California.”

Democratic nominee for governor Xavier Becerra, speaking at an event in Los Angeles, said he was not surprised by the comments and criticized some Republican candidates for not opposing them. San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria issued a statement that the primary duty of a president is to protect all American people and that no U.S. city should be characterized as expendable.

White House communications director Steven Cheung posted on X that coverage of the remarks did not reflect the intended meaning. Cheung wrote that Trump had indicated U.S. cities would have faced threats from a nuclear-armed Iran and that current conditions left Iran without nuclear weapons, a navy, an air force, or substantial financial resources. The White House maintained that the United States is safer as a result of actions taken during the administration.

Republican House candidate Jim Desmond, running in a San Diego-area district, stated that the United States must confront Iran while the commander in chief’s first duty remains protection of American territory and citizens.

The Cook Political Report updated its forecast for the November midterm elections, changing its rating for the Kansas Senate race from “Lean Republican” to “Toss Up.” The change occurred in a state that has not elected a Democratic senator since 1932. The report described Democratic prospects for a Senate majority as strengthened.

Trump announced plans for a new shipyard at Tradepoint Atlantic in Sparrows Point, Maryland. Anduril Industries, whose founder Palmer Luckey has donated to Trump, committed $3.7 billion, with the Navy providing an additional $2.9 billion. The project combines federal and private funding.

The USS Lincoln is scheduled to arrive in San Diego following a deployment of nearly one year that included support for operations related to Iran. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is expected to meet the crew.

A whistleblower complaint submitted to the Senate Judiciary Committee alleged that Trump directed the FBI to investigate demonstrators in Los Angeles who protested immigration enforcement actions. Former FBI supervisory intelligence analyst Jill Fields filed the complaint concerning federal handling of protests near federal buildings and in residential areas.

Audio obtained by Axios captured Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, the Republican nominee for Senate, discussing factors affecting his campaign at a Washington fundraiser. Paxton stated that tariffs were not the primary issue and identified the Iran conflict, gasoline prices, and diesel prices as the main concerns. He described affordability as the largest problem facing the campaign and noted that many variables in the race were outside his control. A separate recording from the same event, previously reported by the New York Times, included Paxton’s comments on the effect of a Trump-led GOP convention on polling numbers.

Trump is scheduled to speak at 1 p.m. ET from the Oval Office and later hold a rally in San Antonio, Texas, at 7 p.m. ET in support of Republican candidates. Texas has supported Trump in the prior three presidential elections, though several statewide races, including the Senate contest between Paxton and Democratic state lawmaker James Talarico, have shown narrowing margins in recent surveys.

A Reuters review of 62 competitive House and Senate races found that two-thirds of Republican candidates had either criticized specific Trump policies or minimized public association with him. The most frequent points of divergence involved individual policy areas rather than the overall agenda. In 12 races, candidates addressed the Iran conflict by supporting limits on war powers or calling for an end to hostilities that have contributed to higher fuel costs.

Trump has highlighted steel-industry initiatives, including a proposed $15 billion plant in Lee County, Iowa, to be developed by Mesabi Metallics. The project was originally planned for Minnesota. Former steelworker Doug May described the timing of the announcement as political. Earlier steel-related projects promoted by Trump, such as a Foxconn facility in Wisconsin, did not deliver the employment levels originally projected.

A Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted over six days and ending Monday found that 57 percent of registered voters, including one-third of Republicans, believed the Trump administration had not addressed risks associated with artificial intelligence sufficiently. Fifty-four percent expressed the same view regarding Congress. Respondents cited potential job displacement, data-center energy demands, and security concerns.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio is scheduled to deliver remarks in Athens on cooperation with Greece in economic, energy, and security matters. The speech, to be given near the Acropolis, will emphasize historical qualities associated with ancient Greece, including curiosity, courage, and national loyalty, and will argue that foreign policy should prioritize a nation’s own citizens.