Outrage as Trump names two US cities for Iran to take out: ‘That’s a very small price to pay’

President Donald Trump has sparked outrage after appearing to suggest Iran “take out” two American cities. Speaking at a rally in Grand Island, Nebraska, Monday, the commander-in-chief addressed the subject of high gas prices sparked by Operation Epic Fury.“Remember, with the war, it’s just artificial,” Trump said of the soaring costs. “It’s a little bit high.” The national average fuel price stands at $4.37 a gallon as of Tuesday morning, according to the AAA. “It’s a small price to pay for keeping the world safe, keeping our country safe,” he continued, before adding: “They can take out a city – let ’em take, let ’em take out Los Angeles, let ’em take out San Diego. That’s – this is a very small price to pay.”President Donald Trump has caused an uproar by flippantly suggesting the loss of Los Angeles and San Diego would be ‘a small price to pay’ for winning his war with Iran (Getty)“And it’s going to be over very soon,” Trump continued. “It’s essentially almost over with. And they might keep going a little long, you know. They always say they have a big threshold for pain. They need it, let me tell you.”While Trump’s remarks on the Democrat-run cities drew cheers from the MAGA crowd in Nebraska, there was swift backlash from Golden State lawmakers.California Gov. Gavin Newsom wrote in a post on X: “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 is deranged and dangerous.” “The role of a president is to protect the country, not to actively threaten it and encourage attacks on American lives,” added L.A. Mayor Karen Bass in a post of her own.California Gov. Gavin Newsom was one of many Golden State lawmakers incensed by the president’s remarks (AFP/Getty)Her San Diego counterpart, Mayor Todd Gloria, was equally indignant: “San Diego is not collateral damage. We are not expendable. And we are never a ‘small price to pay.’ Keep our city out of your reckless war talk.”San Diego city councilmember and Democratic congressional candidate Marni von Wilpert suggested Trump’s remark provided grounds for an unprecedented third impeachment.“This is an impeachable offense by the commander-in-chief, who swore an oath to protect our country,” she said. “Our homes, our families and our communities cannot be treated as collateral damage or a political punchline by this president.” Even the Trump-backed San Diego County Supervisor Jim Desmond, a Republican and Navy veteran running against Von Wilpert, said he “vehemently” disagreed with the president.Los Angeles alone is home to nearly 4 million Americans, as well as numerous important industries and corporations (Alamy/PA)“Our job is to keep Americans safe, stand up to our enemies, and make sure a threat like that never becomes reality,” he posted. “No American city is expendable, and no American family should ever be treated as collateral damage.” The latest estimated cost of the Iran war that Trump started alongside Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu earlier this year is $43 billion, according to the Department of Defense. So far 19 U.S. soldiers have been killed in the Persian Gulf so far since the conflict began on February 28, with hundreds more wounded.