California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) on Tuesday said he directed the State Threat Assessment Center to monitor for any possible threats to the Golden State after President Trump's "invitation" for Iran to "take out" Los Angeles and San Diego. "Donald Trump’s remarks were dangerous — if not treasonous — putting a target on two of...
Page A4From§Eachthe matinee edition — 6 October 2026
Trump invites Iran to take out two California cities, drawing a Republican break and a record-low approval rating
As it ran on the front
The White House says the sentence was a warning, not an invitation, and read by itself, Monday night's words at a Nebraska rally can carry that reading. President Trump told the crowd that high prices from the Iran war were "a small price to pay for keeping the world safe — keeping our country safe," then added: "They can take out a city. Let them take out Los Angeles. Let them take out San Diego." On Tuesday, the White House said he meant it as a warning about the risk of a nuclear Iran. That is the defense. It has to survive the record it was said inside.
That record runs briefly, in order. A United Nations inquiry already found the war's opening strikes likely crimes. The Congressional Budget Office counts the cost at nearly $40 billion, a figure the office itself calls conservative. A senator who voted to confirm Hegseth has since called twice for his firing, and a Republican congressman has filed paperwork to impeach him. At the United Nations, Trump told the General Assembly he would "annihilate" Iran; a Quincy Institute scholar, interviewed from a Democracy Now studio in New York ahead of the Assembly's second day, called it a new low in U.N. history. None of that is Monday's sentence. All of it is the room the sentence got said in.…
…(cont) California's governor did not take the warning as a warning. Gavin Newsom activated the State Threat Assessment Center, the office that watches for threats to the state, and called the remarks "deranged and dangerous." San Diego's mayor asked the president to "keep our city out of your reckless war talk." That's the Democratic column, and the defense can file it there and move on.
It cannot file Jim Desmond there. Republicans have mostly stayed quiet this week, which the defense is entitled to read as unity, except Desmond broke it. Desmond, a Republican running for Congress in San Diego, the city named in the sentence, said he "served to protect Americans, not write off American cities." That is the candidate from the president's own party, in the city named, saying the sentence wrote off his city.
The defense needs one more thing: the public still hearing a warning as a warning. That's where the timing works against it: a Reuters poll put approval at 32 percent on September 21, the lowest of either term, two weeks before Nebraska, with Republican voters named as the reason it fell. Four weeks remain before the midterms decide what a rally crowd's applause is still worth.
“He's telling his own voters that five-dollar gas is a small price for safety, then telling Iran which two cities are cheap enough to lose for that same safety. You don't get to sell "small price to pay" at the pump and hand the enemy the address at the rally. That's not deterrence, that's a target list with a press release, and San Diego's on it.”
“He was laying out a deterrence framework — the context makes clear he's warning about the risks of letting Iran go nuclear, not inviting anything. The man has been tough on Iran since day one, that's strength, that's — he said let them take out Los Angeles, didn't he. I mean, he said "let them," so maybe I should circle back on the framework thing.”
Earlier in this story
- Party pulls money from a Senate race it's losing to fund two others it's also losing. By Mort · the noon edition, 6 October 2026
- Retiring Sen. Tillis admits the Hegseth vote was a mistake and Trump's impeachment was legitimate. By Lou · the milkman edition, 6 October 2026
- Tillis confirms Hegseth, demands his firing for a month, then calls his own yes vote his biggest regret. By Lou · the late evening edition, 5 October 2026
- Trump vows to defeat communists once and for all, having just lost to the pollster he sued. By Sal · the breakfast edition, 4 October 2026
- Tennessee's lethal injection fails to kill Christa Pike twice, succeeds in killing the commissioner's job once. By Mort · the midnight edition, 4 October 2026
- The promised Republican sweep required three days of rallies in Texas, Oklahoma and Alabama, plus a steel plant. By Lou · the noon edition, 3 October 2026
The receipts
"Keep our city out of your reckless war talk," said San Diego's mayor, Todd Gloria, Monday night after President Donald Trump's rambling speech at a rally in Nebraska included a particularly violent mention of the California city. Gloria was among several Democratic political leaders who were incensed after Trump—moments after predicted…
California’s leaders attack president after he suggests Iran could ‘take out’ Los Angeles or San Diego. Plus an auction of some of the most famous props in movie history Don’t already get First Thing in your inbox? Sign up here Good morning.
Gavin Newsom called the remarks "deranged", but the White House said Trump was warning of the risk of a nuclear Iran.
Congressional candidate Jim Desmond says he ‘served to protect Americans, not write off American cities’ A Republican candidate in San Diego has criticized Donald Trump after the US president suggested Iran could “take out” the city or Los Angeles. Trump has faced a chorus of condemnation from Democratic leaders in California after his…
The annual meeting of the United Nations General Assembly opened this week in New York City. On its opening day, President Trump in his address to all 193 U.N. member states threatened to annihilate Iran.
Gov. Gavin Newsom called President Trump "deranged and dangerous" after he suggested letting Iran "take out" Los Angeles and San Diego.
California leaders have criticized President Donald Trump after remarks on Monday that were interpreted by his opponents as a suggestion that Iran could “take out” Los Angeles and San Diego. Trump made the remarks at a Republican rally in Nebraska while defending his administration’s war with Iran and arguing that the conflict was…
· As Iran War and Economic Struggles Persist, Trump Approval Rating Hits Record Low from the morgue, 21 Sep 2026
· Trump vows response to Iran's retaliatory strikes: 'We're going to hit them hard' from the morgue, 31 Aug 2026
· U.N. experts say U.S. may have committed war crimes with 2 Iran strikes from the morgue, 22 Sep 2026
· Trump Says 'Big Decision' Coming on Whether to 'Annihilate' Iran from the morgue, 18 Sep 2026
· Pentagon No. 3 frustrates senators in closed-door briefing on Iran war, Trump defense strategy from the morgue, 17 Sep 2026
· Senate Democrats, minus Fetterman, urge Hegseth to provide receipt for Iran war costs from the morgue, 17 Sep 2026
· Hegseth on "devastation" to Iran's capabilities from the morgue, 10 Sep 2026
· Trump admits Iran war will not end before midterms from the morgue, 9 Sep 2026
· Iran War Trump Said Would Be Quick Has Now Lasted 6 Months With 'No End In Sight' from the morgue, 28 Aug 2026
· CBO Finds Trump's Iran War Has Already Cost Nearly $40 Billion—And That's a 'Conservative' Estimate from the morgue, 15 Sep 2026
· Tillis supports Hegseth impeachment resolution: 'He needs to go' from the morgue, 18 Sep 2026
· Massie Files Impeachment Articles Against Hegseth for Illegal Iran War, Boat Murders from the morgue, 15 Sep 2026
· Massie launches effort to impeach Hegseth from the morgue, 15 Sep 2026
· Tillis urges Trump to fire Hegseth over 'inept management' of military from the morgue, 2 Sep 2026
· Tillis renews calls for Hegseth’s firing after Driscoll’s departure: ‘I have never witnessed more inept management’ from the morgue, 2 Sep 2026
· Farmer who voted for Trump says farmers are "all just in survival mode" from the morgue, 18 Sep 2026
· Farmer who voted for Trump says "I can't stay in business" amid rising costs from the morgue, 18 Sep 2026
· Massie says he’s convinced enough Republicans to pass Epstein Files II discharge petition from the morgue, 18 Sep 2026
· Massie names Epstein 'coconspirators,' discusses new Epstein files legislation from the morgue, 1 Sep 2026
· Read Thomas Massie’s eight impeachment charges against Pete Hegseth from the morgue, 15 Sep 2026
· Fake Republican midterm convention site still redirects to Epstein files from the morgue, 7 Sep 2026
· Trump says he has a ‘big decision’ coming up on Iran: ‘Do I want to go in and annihilate them’ from the morgue, 17 Sep 2026
· Fox News Poll: 71% think Trump administration lacks plan to end Iran war from the morgue, 17 Sep 2026
· Iran recently downed at least 2 American drones, officials say from the morgue, 17 Sep 2026
· Big Oil Stocks Surged Due to Iran War—and New Filings Show How President Trump Cashed In from the morgue, 27 Aug 2026
· Live updates: Energy secretary downplays rising gas prices as US, Iran trade strikes from the morgue, 6 Sep 2026
· U.S. Strike on Iranian School May Have Been War Crime, U.N. Report Says from the morgue, 17 Sep 2026
· UN Inquiry Finds US Strike on Minab, Iran That Killed 123 Children Was War Crime from the morgue, 17 Sep 2026
· UN investigators conclude ‘reasonable grounds’ to believe certain US strikes in Iran were war crimes from the morgue, 17 Sep 2026
· UN Suspects US War Crimes in Iran from the morgue, 17 Sep 2026
· US Condemned for 'War Crimes' After Bombing of Wedding Party in Iran from the morgue, 2 Sep 2026
· US investigating if missile hit Iranian wedding ceremony, killing 4 from the morgue, 4 Sep 2026
· Trump says he has a ‘big decision coming up’ on Iran from the morgue, 17 Sep 2026
· White House issues explosive response to UN-backed report claiming US committed war crimes against world’s No.1 sponsor of terror, Iran from the morgue, 17 Sep 2026
· Human rights experts: 'Reasonable grounds' to believe US committed war crimes with Iran strikes from the morgue, 17 Sep 2026
· US Energy Consumers Have Spent $121 Billion Extra Since Trump Launched Iran War: Moody's from the morgue, 17 Sep 2026
· Iran downed at least 2 American drones in recent days, U.S. officials say from the morgue, 17 Sep 2026
· Iran: Account of US Air Force colonel's rescue 'fictional' from the morgue, 17 Sep 2026
· Consumer Burden of Trump Iran War Exceeds $100 Billion as Oil Prices Pass $100 a Barrel from the morgue, 9 Sep 2026
· 'A Serious and Alarming Threat': US Bombing, Blockade Deepen Iran Medical Crisis from the morgue, 9 Sep 2026
· Consumer Confidence Hits Lowest Level in Months as US Faces 'Trump's Reckless Tariffs and War With Iran' from the morgue, 25 Aug 2026
· U.S. Air Force officer rescued from Iran speaks for the first time to 60 Minutes from the morgue, 8 Sep 2026
· Rep. Thomas Massie forcing vote on Pete Hegseth's impeachment from the morgue, 16 Sep 2026
· Did Johnson Just Adjourn Congress for 7 Weeks to Avoid Massie's Impeachment Articles Against Hegseth? from the morgue, 16 Sep 2026
· The Hitchhiker’s Guide to Massie saying Johnson is sending the House home early to prevent Hegseth impeachment from the morgue, 16 Sep 2026
· ‘You’re Elected to Fight and Kill the Other Side’: How Congress Lost Its Way from the morgue, 16 Sep 2026
· Army combat veteran challenging Mike Lawler calls Hegseth national security 'hazard,' backs impeachment from the morgue, 6 Sep 2026
· Former Air Force secretary says he 'couldn't serve' in Trump administration from the morgue, 6 Sep 2026
· Former Air Force secretary: Hegseth's Pentagon 'dysfunctional' from the morgue, 3 Sep 2026
· House Republicans split over leaving Washington early for campaign trail from the morgue, 1 Sep 2026
· Since 2025, Trump Made More Stock Trades Than All 535 Congress Members Combined from the morgue, 16 Sep 2026
· Fossil Fuel Advertising Contracts Hit Record High as Big Oil Pockets Billions From Iran War from the morgue, 16 Sep 2026
· 'How are we gonna get through this?' Many Americans are struggling as prices rise from the morgue, 16 Sep 2026
· Trump's Top Oil Stocks Have Made Him Up to $4.4 Million Richer During Iran War: Analysis from the morgue, 9 Sep 2026
· 'Trump Did It!': At $5.85 a Gallon, Diesel Price Hits All-Time High in US Thanks to War on Iran from the morgue, 4 Sep 2026
· Gas prices reach Labor Day high amid Iran war from the morgue, 8 Sep 2026
· Trump Hammered Over Iran War That Drove Gas Prices Above $4 Per Gallon Every Day in August for First Time Ever from the morgue, 31 Aug 2026
· Warsh under pressure as Fed weighs rate hike from the morgue, 15 Sep 2026
· Inflation held at 3.4% in August in consumer price index, creating tough choice for Warsh Fed from the morgue, 11 Sep 2026
· Warsh indicates Fed could raise rates to cool inflation from the morgue, 28 Aug 2026
· Key U.S. Bond Rate Near 20-Year High as Oil Prices Keep Climbing from the morgue, 15 Sep 2026
· 10-year Treasury yield hits highest level since 2007, oil surges above $105 as Fed expected to hike interest rates from the morgue, 15 Sep 2026
· Benchmark mortgage rate hits 14-month high as bond yields keep rising from the morgue, 10 Sep 2026
· Benchmark mortgage rate hits highest mark in over a year from the morgue, 3 Sep 2026
· Goldman Sachs warns oil prices could hit $120 as U.S. fuel costs surge from the morgue, 8 Sep 2026
· Massie Moves to Force Impeachment Vote Against Hegseth, Citing Civilian Deaths from the morgue, 15 Sep 2026
· GOP Rep Thomas Massie introduces 8 articles of impeachment against War Secretary Pete Hegseth from the morgue, 15 Sep 2026
· Republican Rep. Massie moves to impeach Defense Secretary Hegseth over Iran war from the morgue, 15 Sep 2026
· Thomas Massie Forces Vote To Impeach Pete Hegseth from the morgue, 15 Sep 2026
· Pete Hegseth Faces Growing Criticism as War With Iran Rolls On from the morgue, 3 Sep 2026
· Hegseth Quietly Extends Middle East Troop Deployments Into 2027 as Iran War Drags On from the morgue, 3 Sep 2026
· Costco imposes purchase limits on motor oil, hikes prices by nearly double from the morgue, 15 Sep 2026
· As gas averages $4.31 nationwide, diesel fuel hits all-time high: "It's painful. It's real hard" from the morgue, 14 Sep 2026
· Costco Raises Motor Oil Price, Caps Customer Purchases As Iran War Drags On from the morgue, 14 Sep 2026
· 'Can't Message That Away': GOP Frets as Trump Administration Desperately Spins Record-High Diesel Prices from the morgue, 5 Sep 2026
· European Union member states agree to a natural gas price cap in an attempt to limit economic damage from the global energy crisis. The price cap can be triggered beginning on February 15, if for thre from the morgue, 19 Dec 2022
· Spike on 10-year bond yields renews concerns over U.S. debt from the morgue, 15 Sep 2026
· 10-Year Treasury Yield Reaches 5%, Highest Level in Years from the morgue, 14 Sep 2026
· Treasury reveals $6B in debt buybacks, triple the normal level – but markets slump from the morgue, 9 Sep 2026
· Trump blames rise in diesel prices on Ukrainian strikes against Russian oil refineries from the morgue, 14 Sep 2026
· Trump blames rising diesel price on Russia-Ukraine war from the morgue, 14 Sep 2026
· What Is Driving Diesel Prices Up? Energy Chaos Caused by Two Wars. from the morgue, 14 Sep 2026
This page is a back-issue: the story as it ran, receipts as they were. The current edition is at the front. The byline is a pen name for a column drafted by a machine and checked by the editor: how this is made.