“While speaking about the Iran war on Oct. 5, U.S. President Donald Trump said, 'They [Iran] can take out LA and San Diego.'”
Verdict
✅TrueConfidence
Solid evidence with some gaps or secondary sources.
What We Found
During a campaign rally in Grand Island, Nebraska, on October 5, 2026, President Donald Trump stated, "They can take out a city. Let 'em take out Los Angeles, let 'em take out San Diego. This is a very small price to pay."
Evidence
Multiple independent news organizations and video transcripts confirm that during a campaign rally in Grand Island, Nebraska, on October 5, 2026, President Donald Trump made remarks regarding the ongoing war in Iran. In the context of discussing the economic impact of the war—specifically rising gasoline prices—Trump characterized these costs as a "small price to pay" for global and national security. During this segment, he stated: "They can take out a city. Let 'em take out Los Angeles, let 'em take out San Diego. This is a very small price to pay." While the White House and supporters later argued that the remarks were taken out of context and intended to illustrate the hypothetical consequences of allowing Iran to develop nuclear weapons, the verbatim quote attributed to the President is accurate based on multiple recordings and reports.
What's Missing or Misleading
The original claim omits the President's broader argument that the war was necessary to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons, and that the "price" he referred to was the economic cost of the war, not the destruction of the cities themselves.
Sources Reviewed (4)
In Nebraska speech, Trump says Iran can ‘take out a city,’ mentions Los Angeles and San Diego
President Trump Says Iran Can "Take Out" Los Angeles or San Diego
Trump suggests Iran could 'take out' Los Angeles and San Diego if it develops nuclear weapons
White House blasts media coverage of Trump’s remark about Iran destroying LA and San Diego
Primary Sources
President Trump Says Iran Can "Take Out" Los Angeles or San Diego
This fact-check was generated by automated AI research. It has not been examined by a human reviewer.