5 million American lives at risk? President Trump says Iran could 'take out' Los Angeles and San Diego

President Donald Trump suggested during a campaign rally in Nebraska that Iran "take out" two of the two most populous cities in the United States -- Los Angeles and San Diego, both in California. "It's a small price to pay for keeping the world safe, keeping our country safe," Trump said on Monday (October 5), adding: "They can take out a city. Let them take out Los Angeles. Let them take out San Diego." The crowd cheered after his comments.

In the rambling speech, Trump also said that the war with Iran was "almost over." He added that gas prices would come down soon, touted his ouster of the Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, and made attacks on news organizations.

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What happens if LA and San Diego are attacked?

If Iran actually went ahead to "take out" LA and San Diego, the losses could be colossal, as those are among the largest cities in the US in terms of population. Los Angeles has a population of 3.86 million, according to latest figures from the US Census Bureau, making it the most populous city in California and the second-most populous across the country.

Meanwhile, San Diego, located a two hour drive from LA, is home to 1.4 million people, which ranks it as the second-most populous city in California and the eighth-most populous across the US. The most populous city in the US is New York City, with a population of 8.58 million, as per data from 2025. Both cities also house key military installations and federally-funded research centers.

California leaders slam Trump's comments

California Governor Gavin Newsom rebuked Trump over the statement in a post on social media. "The President is advocating for an attack on 10+ million U.S. residents in two of America’s largest cities. This is not normal. None of this is. And we will continue to remind folks of that every day," Newsom's press office wrote in an X post.

"The role of a president is to protect the country, not to actively threaten it and encourage attacks on American lives," Karen Bass, the mayor of Los Angeles, said in a post on X. San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria also slammed the president's remarks, saying the city "is not collateral damage." He added: "We are not expendable. And we are never a 'small price to pay.' Keep our city out of your reckless war talk."