Bipartisan criticism follows Trump’s remarks about California cities
California Governor Gavin Newsom urged Congress to rein in the president after he said Iran could “take out” Los Angeles or San Diego. The White House defended the remarks.
US politicians from both parties have criticised President Donald Trump after he said Iran could “take out” Los Angeles or San Diego as a small price for keeping the country safe. He made the remarks at a midterm rally in Nebraska on Monday.
California Governor Gavin Newsom called the comments “dangerous” and urged Congress to rein in Trump. He also linked them to the president’s earlier deployment of troops to Los Angeles.
Republican Jim Desmond, a House candidate near San Diego, said he “vehemently” disagreed, adding that no American city was expendable. Independent Representative Kevin Kiley, who caucuses with Republicans, called the remarks “unhelpful”.
White House communications director Steven Cheung said Trump was referring to threats that would have existed if Iran had not been stopped from obtaining nuclear weapons. The White House dismissed the criticism as a “media freakout”.
The remarks come as the US-Israeli war with Iran enters its eighth month, with no lasting ceasefire reached, according to Al Jazeera. All 435 House seats and a third of Senate seats are due to be contested in November’s midterm elections.
