California Governor Newsom says Trump's remarks on Iran striking Los Angeles and San Diego were 'disgusting'

California Governor Gavin Newsom denounced US President Donald Trump's remarks about a potential Iranian attack on Los Angeles and San Diego as "disgusting" and "disqualifying." Clips from a rally in Nebraska on Monday night, where Trump appeared to encourage Iran to target the Democratic-leaning state's major cities, have circulated on social media.

Newsom, in a post on X, stated that Trump's comments were "dangerous – if not treasonous – putting a target on two of our biggest cities and one of America's largest naval hubs."

The governor directed the State Threat Assessment Centre to actively monitor the situation to ensure foreign actors do not interpret Trump's remarks as an invitation to attack California. The FBI had previously warned that Iran could attempt to strike California through a drone attack. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass also criticized Trump's comments on X, stating that the president should protect American lives, not actively threaten them.

Trump's White House spokesperson, Steven Cheung, argued that the remarks were taken out of context, claiming they were about petrol prices. The White House asserted that Trump was stating that if Iran had not been stopped, US cities would have been threatened. The media's reaction to Trump's comments, according to Cheung, is not grounded in reality.

During the rally, Trump emphasized that a significant victory in the upcoming elections would validate the actions his administration had taken. He and his Republican Party are facing mounting pressure before the midterm elections in November due to high petrol prices and other rising costs, as well as the ongoing war with Iran, which is considered artificial and relatively minor in comparison.

Trump encouraged the audience to consider the potential consequences of Iran attacking American cities, stating that it would be a "small price to pay" and that the conflict would soon end.