'Never a small price to pay': Can Iran attack Los Angeles or San Diego as Trump says?

US President Donald Trump's statement in Nebraska that Iran could "take out" a major US city like Los Angeles or San Diego, has ignited a major controversy. 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.

Trump, speaking at a political rallyin the state's farm belt on Monday, discussed American wartime economic sacrifices and he 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."

'Never a small price to pay'

California's Democratic leaders and some fellow Republicans have condemned the comments.

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.

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, a Democrat and former member of Congress, chided Trump saying, "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."

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."

White House meanwhile defended Trump saying the comments are "not rooted in reality".

"He was clearly stating US cities would have been threatened if a nuclear Iran hadn't been stopped," White House Communications Director Stephen Cheung wrote in a post on X. "America is safer because of the President. Iran has no nuclear, no navy, no air force, and no money".

FBI had warned earlier

Notably, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) had earlier this year raised concerns about a potential Iranian drone attack targeting California.

“We recently acquired unverified information that as of early February 2026, Iran allegedly aspired to conduct a surprise attack using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) from an unidentified vessel off the coast of the United States homeland, specifically against unspecified targets in California, in the event the US conducted strikes against Iran. We have no additional information on the timing, method, target, or perpetrators of this alleged attack,” stated the FBI memo.

Later a California-based federal law enforcement official told CBS News that the warning was “not actionable.” Another official said, “This is unverified. There has been no information given on the timing, source, method or target of any such attack... since then, we have seen no further indications of this.”

The threat of kamikaze drones

Long-range one-way attack drones, commonly referred to as “kamikaze drones,” have become significant in modern warfare. These drones are designed to cover long distances before crashing into targets to detonate their payloads.

The Shahed-136 is one of the well-known Iranian drones and is a long-range loitering munition heavily used in recent conflicts. Its relative affordability allows operators to launch multiple drones in waves to overwhelm air defense systems. Similar systems have highlighted the growing concern regarding drone technology and its implications for international security.

Moreover, the flexibility of these drones raises concerns. Unlike traditional missiles that require specialized launch platforms, many kamikaze drones can be launched from various locations, including ships. Both Iran and the United States have demonstrated the ability to launch such drones from vessels at sea.

The threat of offshore attacks has long been noted by the US military. The potential use of cruise missiles or drones launched from civilian ships poses a significant risk. The US military has been actively enhancing its capabilities to defend against these threats, with radar systems being upgraded to better detect approaching threats from the ocean.

However, US officials have in recent times insisted that Iran lacks the capability to launch an attack on mainland US. Infact, Trump himself on numerous occassions claimed that Iran has no navy or airforce following the strikes by the US and Israel.