Cheung says Trump meant U.S. cities would have been threatened by a nuclear Iran
Steven CheungWhite House communications director
White House Communications Director Steven Cheung wrote on X that "The media freakout over President Trump's comments is not rooted in reality," that Trump "was clearly stating U.S. cities would have been threatened if a nuclear Iran hadn't been stopped," and that "America is safer because of the President."
Responding to
Trump was clearly stating that U.S. cities would have been threatened if a nuclear Iran had not been stopped, and the media reaction to his comments is not rooted in reality.
“He was clearly stating U.S. cities would have been threatened if a nuclear Iran hadn't been stopped.”
Original post
Where this statement fits
What did Trump mean when he said 'Let them take out Los Angeles' at a Nebraska rally?
At a campaign rally in Grand Island, Nebraska, on October 5, 2026, President Donald Trump called the costs of the Iran war "a small price to pay for keeping the world safe" and said, "They can take out a city. Let them take out Los Angeles. Let them take out San Diego." The passage followed remarks about the midterm elections and did not mention nuclear weapons; Trump had said earlier in the speech that Iran will not have one. California Gov. Gavin Newsom, the mayors of Los Angeles and San Diego and other critics said Trump was inviting attacks on the two cities or treating them as an acceptable price for the war. White House Communications Director Steven Cheung said Trump was stating that U.S. cities would have been threatened if a nuclear Iran had not been stopped. The dispute is over what Trump meant.
Source and context
Original post
About this source
White House Communications Director Steven Cheung's post on X, quoting a clip of the rally remark.
Before the quotation
Cheung posted the morning after the rally, quoting a video clip of the rally remark. The post opens: "The media freakout over President Trump's comments is not rooted in reality."
After the quotation
It continues: "America is safer because of the President. Iran has no nuclear, no navy, no air force, and no money."
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
The reference point is whether Trump's remark meant Iranian attacks on Los Angeles and San Diego would be an acceptable price for the war, as critics read it, rather than that the war prevents a nuclear Iran from being able to attack them, as the White House says. Cheung rejects the critics' reading, calling the reaction "not rooted in reality," and offers another: that Trump meant U.S. cities would have been threatened if a nuclear Iran had not been stopped. That disputes the interpretation of the remark. The closest competing label is Defended or excused, but the post does not argue that an attack on the cities would be acceptable; it says the remark meant something else. Evidence: Cheung's own post on X.
- Recorded on
- Published here
- People and groups discussed
- Donald Trump
Corrections to this statement
These notices document reporting corrections, classification changes, and topic-label updates.
Classification correction
Correction to: Statement by Steven Cheung
- Previous classification
- Position Event #4889 classified Steven Cheung's statement as "Defended or excused."
- Corrected classification
- The statement disputes the critics' reading of the remark and offers a different one, so the classification is "Challenged the characterization."
In this case Defended or excused would mean arguing that an Iranian attack on Los Angeles or San Diego would be acceptable. The statement does not argue that; it rejects the critics' interpretation and gives the White House's. The rationale was revised to match.
This corrects an editorial classification.
White House Communications Director Steven Cheung's post on X, quoting a clip of the rally remark.
More from this case
Read the full caseDemocratic National Committee calls the remark 'disgusting and dangerous'
Democratic National Committee
“Disgusting and dangerous. End the war and hold him accountable.”Read statement
Todd Gloria says no American city should be "an acceptable price to pay" and asks Trump to retract the remark
“No American city, regardless of its politics or geography, should ever be described as expendable or an acceptable price to pay.”Read statement
White House Rapid Response account says Trump meant stopping a nuclear Iran
Rapid Response 47
“He was saying the U.S. is fighting to STOP Iran from having the ability to take out LA and San Diego with a nuclear weapon”Read statement
Cite this record
- Publisher
- The Dispute Index
- Title
- Cheung says Trump meant U.S. cities would have been threatened by a nuclear Iran
- First published
- Last updated
- Permalink
- https://disputeindex.com/events/4889-white-house-communications-director-steven-cheung-wrote-on
Last updated marks the most recent saved version of this published statement.
The Dispute Index. "Cheung says Trump meant U.S. cities would have been threatened by a nuclear Iran". First published: 2026-10-06. Last updated: 2026-10-06. https://disputeindex.com/events/4889-white-house-communications-director-steven-cheung-wrote-on